One way to careen seriously off course in life is to be ignorant of your heart’s greatest longing.
And here’s the sad truth: Many people go for years — even a lifetime — without ever pondering what that longing is.
The analogy that comes to mind is of a sailor setting out to cross the ocean. He wonders why his boat is dead in the water even though a brisk wind is blowing. In a fit of frustration he inspects his sails and discovers that they have been slit in numerous places. He hadn’t noticed that his means of transportation had been compromised before he had even left the shore. The only way he can make a successful passage is to repair his damaged sails — the source of his frustration and the reason for his confusion, fatigue, and panic.
The New Testament writers mention the heart 148 times, but the emphasis isn’t on physical funtioning; it’s on the heart as the seat of our emotions and the center of our relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, we’ll focus on what Jesus meant when he said, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1).
This exhortation has inexhaustible depth and power when we understand its meaning and apply its wisdom to our lives. As we reflect together on this profound chapter, we’ll be awakened to the greatest longing of our hearts.
Once we grasp what this longing is, where it comes from, and how it can be satisfied, we’ll set our sails in the most effective way possible. Then we’ll be able to catch the winds of God and be propelled on the most exciting (but never safe or easy!) voyage we’ll ever take.
Blessings and love to you!
Evan