If I Only Had A Heart

Wizard of Oz: As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart. You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable.
Tin Woodsman: But I still want one.
~The Wizard of Oz
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The heart is a wonderful piece of machinery. It had better be since you can't live without this vital organ! It's a strong muscle that pumps your blood all throughout your body. It's the hardest working muscle we have.

But the heart also symbolizes the spiritual, emotional, moral and, often, the intellectual center of yourself. And don't forget love and affection! It's a residence too - remember you invited Jesus to live there!

So it makes sense that the word heart is mentioned around 900 times in the different versions of the bible. Obviously your "ticker" is important both physically and spiritually.

But today I want to zero in on something God's been saying to me a lot lately..."Take heart".
Take heart? What in the world does that mean? What is He talking about? Well the term "take heart" has a couple of meanings:
1) to receive courage or comfort from some fact
2) to start to feel more hopeful and more confident
3) to feel encouraged.

But when I am going through the rough and tumble times, I don't feel like my heart can be trusted. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

But God's telling me "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord" Psalm 31:24

But doesn't the Bible say "For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly." Mark 7:21-22

Yes, yes...but Jesus said "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

God keeps encouraging me to "take heart" because it's all a part of the plan.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" Psalm 27:14

Take heart? Really, God? My heart is raggedy, weak, sad and often broken.

Then I realized something...

He wants me to take HIS HEART!

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." Ezekiel 36:26-27

With God's heart, you can be encouraged that He is working it all out according His purpose. With it you can stand...stand on His Word and on His Promises.

And most of all remember what He said..."Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" Jeremiah 1:5

YOU ARE SPECIAL AND SET APART - SO GO AHEAD AND TAKE HEART!

In love,
Mona