Never Alone

Christ in Us, The Hope of Something New

“The Heart Wants what it Wants.” This romantic phrase is the title of a popular Selena Gomez song, loosely based on a letter written by poet Emily Dickinson. Some use this philosophical statement to explain their natural pursuit of personal passions. With no evaluation of consequences or apologies to people wounded along the way, it seems enough to justify behavior and decisions when we say that “my heart wants it.”

Our desires don’t have to be constructive or beneficial to be all consuming. Led by this philosophy, we tend to go from longing to longing, always seeking, but rarely satisfied.

In Christ we learn the path to lasting joy and steadfast love – my heart is most happy when I want God. And He wants to provide love and joy! The Westminster Shorter Catechism of the traditionally reformed churches begins with this enticing question and answer:

Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

When we seek Jesus first, we find “all these things added unto us.”(1) Our hearts are satisfied and healed by looking upon things that are “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.”(2) A higher calling for our hearts is discovered when we seek God first.

C.S. Lewis, in his classic book, The Weight of Glory, said it this way;
“If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”(3)

“Christ in us, the hope of glory.”(4) John Piper hits the nail on the head when he writes, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”(5) The more we desire God, the more His eternal joy floods into our soul. The more we know Him, the more we are transformed by His love.

Saint Augustine wrote these eternally true words; “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” Rest, peace, joy, truth, beauty, wholeness, healing. These are the words that describe the people who know their God and find their joy in Him.

Eternally yours,
Pastor Steve

(1) Matthew 6:33, English Standard Version

(2) Philippians 4:8, New Living Translation

(3) C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1962)

(4) Colossians 1:27, English Standard Version

(5) John Piper, Desiring God, (New York: Multnomah Books, 1986)