Directing My Heart - 2 Thessalonians 3:5

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May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5

When I Act Like I am Two

“I believe in Jesus. I believe He is the Son of God. I believe He died and rose again!” (Tommy Bolton)

And He loves me.

Why do I know this?

According to the verse, the Lord directs my heart to the love of God. This is a divine work of God. I want to use the word magic, but that would be wrong.

It's a miracle. Does that seem too strong a thing to say? That it's a miracle for man's heart to be directed to the love of God? The reason it's a miracle is that I naturally have the fallen heart of Adam who fell in the garden of Eden.

I am haughty, angry, selfish, and rebellious when not walking in the Spirit. I want what I want when I want it. I'm two.

The Steadfastness of Christ

But he lovingly, miraculously directs my heart to the love of God. He's making me new.

And He directs me to the steadfastness of Christ. I looked up the word: steadfastness in a Greek dictionary. It means the patience of Christ. It looks to me (the non-scholar) that the verse is a prayer that the church would know God's love, and display his patience.

Patience. Steadfastness.

Those words only characterize me when I am walking in the Spirit. Otherwise I'm a demanding toddler who goes around saying, "Mine, mine, mine."

But Jesus gathers me up and hugs me until I am still and know that He is God and I am not.

And I find myself trusting His love. And being patient.

How different I am when I actually know His love and have his patience. This patience is so hard for me which is why I need His work of steadfastness in my heart, my life.

Lord Jesus. I need your love. May I know it. This verse is a prayer from one believer about a group of believers. Lord teach me to pray this way for the church, my friends, my family... Help me walk in the Spirit, knowing your very presence as I go about my work and conversations. May I learn to pray like Paul. In Jesus name. Amen. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Today.

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