The heart holds available treasures
I have heard stories of men and women who were imprisoned in solitary confinement, without anything but their own hearts and their own memories to examine. These same folks tell of how whole passages of scripture, complete stories of Jesus and of the Apostles, of prophets, of Psalms, have come clear to them, untrammeled, descriptive, like medicine to their lonely, tortured soul. These “balms of Gilead” are also available to us-like myself, who have been instructed in the ways of the Lord throughout our lives…even when being spared imprisonment. I know His word has come to me many times in my lowest moments, and in my humdrum day to day existence, to enlighten, to encourage, to clarify, to inspire, to energize.
Paul the apostle states-Christ dwells in our hearts through faith(Ephesians 3:17), and all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden and can be found in Christ.
It stands to reason then, that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God can be found—in the heart where Christ dwells through His Holy Spirit. ( St. Maximos, the Confessor)
A desert father—the ascetic monk Maximos, of the 4th century, discovered something I am afraid I too often forget.
In other words, “God can supply all your needs according to his will in Christ Jesus.” and therefore, He has the capability to deliver his wisdom, the gift of his grace, and the blessing of his peace—mysteriously transmitted directly from the Prince of Peace- into my heart. Into my decrepit and mostly impure, worldly heart!
This is why meditation, or contemplative prayer, has become so very precious and urgent for me in my life. If I allow the pressures and “to-do-lists” of my self starting, entrepreneurial world to swallow my time, and engulf my heart with anxiety, worry and an urgency about the action that I must take—immediately, then I find myself lost in the day to day, and am not “tapping into” what Jesus Himself “tapped into” in order to do the work his father had sent him to do.
This is the only way through which I am able to allow the Word of God to “judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”, and to live in such a way that is pointed towards the pattern of Jesus’ own faith/practice. Jesus’ way was simple and direct, and can be found in his consistent centering prayer practice –apart from the disciples and the crowds, a great time before day-before and during his Passion: prefacing his prayers with “not my will, but Thy will be done”, and “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
If he took time to “get centered” and to be alone with the Father who spoke to him through his heart, regularly, daily-then how can I expect to be in yoke with Him as his follower and not be committed to the same pattern of living?
“Lord Christ, enable me to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart that knows Your presence. I want to live in faith as you embodied and exemplified…through You, and in You, as you dwell in my heart.”
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