Will and Heart - Real Consecration - Sealed Orders Part 3

This is one in a series of posts, sharing the Sealed Orders devotions, day by day, from CMI 2010.  They are based on the "Consecration Hymn," Salvation Army Songbook #525

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In the epic movie “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy and her three friends are escorted into the presence of the Wizard.  The sight of his bodiless head terrifies the group, with eerie smoke and geysers of flame shooting out in front of it.

[Spoiler Alert] On a later trip to the Wizard, they discover a man behind a curtain who is controlling the “Wizard,” which amounts to no more than a projected image of a head and mechanical tricks meant to scare and intimidate.

Then, the real Wizard is discovered.  They find that the smoke, flames and head really don’t move on their own.  They are controlled by the man behind the curtain.

Many believe that our will and our spiritual heart are the same thing – they are the center of who we are as people.  The will is the center of decision-making, and the heart is the throne on which the one who controls it sits.

Until my heart is consecrated to God, I am the one sitting on the throne of my heart.  I call the shots, and every decision I make centers around me.  While we might send some smoke to distract from this fact, the reality is that we are in it for ourselves.
   
When we sing, “Take my will, . . . It shall be no longer mine,” we invite God himself to sit on our heart’s throne.  We are no longer calling the shots, but God is.

When we sing, “Take my heart, . . . It shall be thy royal throne,” we ask God to extend His kingdom into our lives.

It doesn’t mean that we no longer make choices – we still have a day-to-day, moment-by-moment decision to do what God wants us to do.  But now we make our choices with God’s help.

Today is Sunday and we are about to enter worship.  Use this time to consider who is on the throne of your heart.  Is it you or Jesus? 

The song’s fifth verse talks about consecrating your will and heart.  Make it your prayer during these quiet moments as you prepare for worship.

Follow Your Heart - Good Advice from the #Bachelor?

 

I keep thinking about "The Bachelor".  I guess it really shook me up - all that honesty and everything.

Something stuck with me that Jake kept saying in the show - "I just have to follow my heart."  Sounds so romantic.  

Maybe you have said something like it before.  "I did it because I felt like it."  "My heart wasn't in it anymore."  

I am guilty of saying these things too.  Very treacherous words.

Actually, it's a convenient excuse.  A cover-up for selfishness.

It also ended up a way for Jake to explain his choice of fiance without hurting feelings or taking responsibility (or so he thought).

In reality, while following one's heart sounds like a good decision making strategy, it ends up being poor theology.

After all, the heart is fickle.  If we followed our heart at every turn, we'd end up with a new romance every month, regardless of marriage commitment.  I heard recently that those who contact an "old flame" after getting married are 18 times more likely to have it end in an extra-marital affair.

Please don't follow your heart.

The Bible says,

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

In other words, don't trust your heart - trust God.  The heart changes.  Our feelings will lead us in a different direction each day.

Again, it says,

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." - Colossians 3:1-2

God invites us to set our hearts on Him and His ways.  How generous, when we understand what a poor track record we have following our heart.

The heart is a good follower; not a good leader.

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