"Fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm139:14 Part 4 The Heart

The word heart, in scripture, usually refers to the will or the spirit of a person. The physical heart is the ‘pumping station’ of the body, which is concerned with the circulation of the blood throughout the whole body. It is used also to describe the centre of the person, but when we apply it to the ‘thinking’ part of the anatomy we are really referring to the brain, or the mind.

The prophet Jeremiah states (Jer 17:7), "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lord, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought and will not cease from yielding fruit". He continues (v 9), "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to the fruit of his doings."

David, in Psalm 45:1 says, "My heart is overflowing with a good theme, I recite my composition concerning the King …" which is doubtless a reference to the Lord Jesus, the world’s future King.

In the NT we have the words of Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, (Matt 5:8) "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God …" and in Matt 6:19-21, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Let us look after our hearts, both physical and spiritual, so that we are able to serve God and be pleasing in His sight. Here are the words of a hymn we sometimes sing:

Oh blessed are the eyes, that see the living way,
To grasp the glorious prize of everlasting day.

Oh blessed are the ears, that hear the Spirit’s voice,
And heed not carnal fears, but in God’s love rejoice.

Oh blessed are the hands, strong in the power of prayer,
To meet the Lord’s demands, and of his mercy share.

Oh blessed are the feet, that run the gospel race,
In righteousness to meet the Bearer of the grace.

Oh blessed is the man, who knows the joyful sound,
Salvation’s wondrous plan, for him all things abound.

This shows God’s concern for us all and his desire is for us all to be saved.

Bro John Wilson (Windermere, UK)