It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace… Hebrews 13:9
Lord Jesus, as you know, I’ve lost friends and family members to heart disease—of congenital and life-choice varieties. I’ve also had other close friends suffer heart attacks, both young and old alike. So the theme of heart care is quite personal and stewardship of my health is of great importance to me. You’re honored when we take care of ourselves physically. It’s a part of our discipleship and one of the ways we demonstrate our love for you.
However, what will it profit me if I only eat organic foods from Whole Foods, can still run an 8 minute mile at age 65… have 125 cholesterol… a resting heart rate of 59 and yet have a heart that is weak in grace? Surely, this must have been only the Apostle Paul’s mind when he wrote about the benefits of physical training, but the far greater importance of training in godliness—“which has value both for this life and the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).
So, my prayer today, Jesus, is about new heart-strength through grace. Lead me to the gym… the training table… the sauna… the spa… the regimen which will cause my heart to grow stronger and stronger and stronger in your grace. For the more my heart is strengthened by grace the more it will beat for your glory… the quicker and deeper will be my repentances… the less room there will be for idols… the more fully I will love you with delight and abandon.
As my heart is strengthened by grace, I will throw more gospel parties and less pity parties. I won’t think less of me, I will just think about me less of the time. I will keep shorter records of the ways others fail and longer records of your faithfulness to me. I will make a bigger deal about the things that really matter, and a lesser deal about the things which simply go with life in a broken world filled with broken people. I will live more missionally and less obsessively.
Indeed, Jesus, it is good… it is VERY good for our hearts to be strengthened by your grace. So very Amen I pray, in your kind and loving name.
