What the Heart Wants
As we watch events unfold in the news, we see people in Ukraine running for their lives. They’re not stopping to pack up their home decor or their favorite books. They’re not worried about that picture or piece of art. Their ‘good china’ holds little value. Their job isn’t going to save them and that salary or promotion really doesn’t mean anything. No, it’s life that they cherish and they run with the few clothes and food items they can carry. They don’t think twice. They run for safety and refuge, praying and dodging the enemy fire. They run because life is precious and nothing else matters. And when asked what they want, most say “I just want to go home.”
Yet, many likely will never get back to their home. They will resettle and start new lives, they will find new places to live and develop new routines, new friendships and new ways of living…yet they will always long for home. Why? Because that’s who they are. That is at the root of their identity. They can change locations, but they can’t change their heart’s longing.
What do our sons and daughters long for? Is it Jesus? Do they yearn to be where they ‘belong’, in His Presence? Do their hearts ache to spend time with him? Are their minds consumed with love for Him and His Word Do they have confidence in the Lord because their heart and mind are set on things above (Col. 3:1-2)? Or is it possible they’re charmed by the things they see, not by what is unseen.
As we see all this happening, what is it that we want most for our sons and daughters? If we strip everything else away, what do our Momma and Daddy hearts yearn for, what do we wish they would crave? We want to know they are walking faithfully with the Lord. Nothing else really matters, does it? When we stand before the Lord, the condition of our heart, what we love and what we choose to think on will be what matters to the Lord and will determine where our affections lie.
2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Oh, how we want to know our kids are carrying the conviction of Christ Alone in their hearts and minds. How we want to hear them say they find their soul’s contentment in Jesus.
Is your heart heavy today? Don’t despair. God isn’t done working. Let’s pray very specifically for the hearts and minds of our sons and daughters. The scripture below gives potent promises that we can pray with boldness.
Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“Father, I bring (name) before You today and ask that You would work in their life, their heart and mind, today. Lord, surround them with Your divine protection. Let them guard their heart today so that nothing in this world would pollute it and cause them to wander from you. Keep their eyes fixed on You, the Author and Perfecter of their faith. Stir in them a thirst to know You more and a longing to be in Your Presence- let them truly know that this life is temporary and eternal life is with You. I pray that, like David, these words would be the prayer of their life, “‘I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will also rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.’” (Ps. 16:8-11) Lord, You are able to do more than we could ask or imagine. Please work in (name)’s heart and mind today. Capture them with your love, satisfy them with living water, show them the beauty, wonder and joy of eternal pleasures that far outweigh anything this world could offer. I pray that (name) would confess “Only Jesus” today and always. Give me Your peace today as I wait and pray. Work mightily, Lord. In Jesus’ mighty, saving name I pray, amen.”
Keep praying that God would capture their affection and would draw their heart to Him.
Pray without ceasing.
Action. Affection. Direction.
Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 is an oft-quoted verse that is so familiar. It’s on plaques and bumper stickers. It’s emblazoned on t-shirts and mugs. It’s a staple of ‘Christianese’.. And often we look at it, mouth the words and in our hearts say ‘Yes! Yes!’, but it’s likely we miss the real depth of the message. Oh, friends, it’s so much more.
God used the prophet Micah to warn the nation of Israel of pending judgment. But what was Israel doing that was deserving of judgment? Well, they strayed from God, followed false gods and were using their power to oppress others. They didn’t want to listen to God’s word and when Micha prophesied, they told him to stop. Their deeds were evil and their hearts were hard (see Micah ch. 2) Couldn’t that be a commentary on our world today?
But when faced with pending judgment, the Israelites were quick and ready to make sacrifices to show their repentance. But, that’s not what God wanted from them. As Micah’s predecessor, Samuel, told the Israelites earlier, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) God made it clear, through Micah, what He wanted Israel to do…and it didn’t involve sacrifice, rather, it involved submitting their hearts and lives. He said they must: 1. Do justly. 2. Love mercy. 3. Walk humbly. God addressed their actions, affections and direction.
This is big-picture thinking here. When we pray for our sons and daughters, we pray for safety, we ask God for wisdom, we pray for their relationships, we plead for protection from sin and temptation…and the list goes on. But, friends, that is all encompassed by these three things. Action. Affection. Direction.
Why is it that we struggle with these? “Do justly”. It shouldn’t be difficult, yet we hesitate, we don’t want to get involved, we don’t have time. But God loves justice and it’s a quality of His character. If we are to reflect God and bear His image, shouldn’t we be concerned for just treatment of all those who also bear Him image? (hint, that’s all of mankind, friends)
Then, we’re called to love mercy. LOVE mercy. Yet, we often mete out mercy based on who we think deserves it…and if we deem someone undeserving, we withhold mercy. But being merciful is another quality of God that we’re called to reflect. And we are ALL undeserving of His mercy, yet He gives us to us lavishly.
Here’s the thing…too often we fall into the lure of ‘head knowledge’ and we’re quick to show how much we know and perhaps we become ‘puffed up’ with our theological depth. We mistakenly think that knowledge is the ultimate mark of our spirituality and we lack mercy toward those who may not be as ‘learned’ as we. But our lives lack a reflection of the character of God. Oh, knowledge is good and important, but if we value knowledge above all, we are incomplete. There’s a name for that…it’s called being a Pharisee. Matthew 23:23 ““Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” You see, the Pharisees had a lot of knowledge, and they were quick to sacrifice….but they lacked an understanding and personal knowledge of the heart and character of God. In all of their knowledge, they didn’t reflect Jesus to others. And they lacked humility.
Finally, we’re called to walk humbly with our God. God calls us to secure our direction and ensure we’re moving with Him, not away from and not sitting idly by the way. Colossians 1:10-11 “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;”
Action. Affection. Direction. It’s what we’re called to. It’s what we must be mindful of and intentional to pursue in the context of our faith in Christ.
Let’s pray today that the Lord works in each of these areas in our sons and daughters so they are moved to be imitators of God’s character and followers of His leading in their lives.
“Lord, I pray today that You would empower (name) to act justly today. May their desire for what is right rule every choice they make. Let them be a defender of the oppressed and a lifter of those who need encouragement and help. Keep them from compromise that would desensitize them to the voice of the Holy Spirit. And Father-God, help them to love mercy. May the affections of their heart and mind always be centered on how you poured your love out to us through Jesus’ death while we were still powerless and drenched in sin (Romans 5:6-8) That that love be what motivates them to be merciful to others and demonstrate Christ in them to all those they meet. Finally, Lord, I pray that they would always, always follow after You. May their direction never waver and their moral compass always be true to Your Word and running the race You’ve set before them. I pray that their actions, affection and direction would always reflect Jesus and be a testimony of your saving grace in their life. In Jesus’ name, amen.”