Overwhelming Heart
by Steve Martin
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2, NASU
Has your heart ever been so full that it almost seems that you can’t bear taking in anymore? It is as a Mom’s love for her newborn baby, wanting to hold the child so close to her chest after the nine months of womb time. Or the father, so proud of his son and daughter for sticking it out, when anyone else would have given up the training at their age. Or the grandma’s joy for seeing the grandchild, whom she had prayed for diligently those long years, and make the right decision that would set a good course in the next ones.
My heart sometimes seems to get overwhelmed when I pray for nations, especially the people of Israel. I just want to grab hold of someone there and let some of that emotion and love flow out of me into them, right then.
All of these are wonderful experiences. It is a measurable release of the Father’s love for us, expressed through us, to those around us. Someday we will actually see Him in person, and realize the awesome vastness of His beating heart.
Every Good Friday, when we take the time to again try to fathom the Son’s love for His Father, and how that love was then expressed for all for us, we can imagine more of that reality demonstrated in a most powerful way. As we watch films trying to depict the brutal beating, the senseless Roman scouring, the rugged path to the death hill, finishing it off with the final three nails hammered into His already bleeding hands and feet during the crucifixion execution, it has to awaken something further in our hearts for the Savior.
I believe Yeshua (Jesus) knew some of the agony He would go through beforehand, but even as He sweated blood in Gethsemane, the pain that would be slashing through the nerves of His human flesh was going to be overwhelming. And yet His heart of love, which itself would burst within Him at the end, had to already have been prepared to go through it all. His overwhelming love was able to complete the required mission to the end. Knowing the finish line result would make this worth it - freedom for us from sin and our rightful eternal damnation. Otherwise that would be our judgment sentence if not for the perfect sacrifice of His blood.
I believe this resulting purpose of setting the captives free, freeing us from the bondage of death, and later having us join Him with His Father and now ours, was the joy set before Him. Doing it all for you and I, so we could spend eternity in heaven with them, fulfilled the purpose of His coming to earth the first time as Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb. His overwhelming heart for the nations - to be with us.
So next time you sense your own heart becoming filled to the point of explosion, know that it is a partial touch from Him, as He shares His love through you. May our hearts grow even bigger, so we can express more of Him to a world needing all of Him.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.
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Now Think On This #143 “Overwhelming Heart” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (04.18.14) Good Friday at 4:30 pm in Charlotte, NC.
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This
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