What do we know about the heart of God? Scriptures reveal much about God’s heart in Jesus and the way He led with His heart. Jesus always met people right where they were and touched them with His healing compassion and love.
God is tender and compassionate. (Psalm 103:13-14).
Remember Zacchaeus! Jesus saw him when others ignored him. Jesus was kind to him. He saw more than a tax collector; He saw his heart.
God is filled with kindness. (Psalm 145:17)
When Jesus was walking through the crowded city, He realized that someone touched Him, someone in need. Did He ignore her? No, He spoke to her with compassion and mercy and His voice of love was the first she had heard in a long, long time.
God is seen in the compassion of Jesus. (Mark 5:34)
God heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
God has created us for relationship – with Him and with each other. Remember David? God chose him to be king, and said here is “… a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.” Acts 13:22
That’s what God wants from us. To follow Him by leading with our hearts, to want what He wants and do what He does. David was far from perfect, but God knew his heart, knew his love and was able to depend on David to ‘carry out his every wish.’
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
Jesus wants us to love what He loves – each person we meet. We will become more like Jesus as we practice loving others. This month think about leading with your heart, meaning seeing beyond the obvious and responding to each person we encounter with kindness, compassion and love.
Blessings,
Mary Ann Barnhorn SND
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8a