Did not our heart burn
within us . . . ? —Luke 24:32
We need to learn this secret of the
burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are
given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the
burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary
day, with its commonplace duties and people, that
smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in
Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as
Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the
laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine
whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is
to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to
its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn,
put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by
the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will
cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way
unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the
higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised
on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as
many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be
what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,”
basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must
put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with
Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks
in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
(Taken from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost
for His Highest” March 22)