26 Jan Take Heart
Read Matthew 22:34-40
The human body is comprised of three kinds of muscle: skeletal (the kind of muscle we typically imagine, that which covers our bones), smooth muscle (such as our stomachs and digestive tract) and cardiac (the muscle that is our hearts). Ironically, skeletal and smooth muscle can be manipulated into voluntary movement and they are prone to grow weak and weary. Only the heart muscle cannot be controlled by our wills or brains and it is incredibly immune to fatigue. The heart is composed of cardiomyocytes which have 10 times the density of the mitochondria of any other muscle, making the heart almost impervious to fatigue. In fact, it never truly tires until it stops completely.
It makes sense that the Bible refers to the human heart when giving an analogy of our most inward man, our intents, our desires, and our purpose. When Jesus was questioned by the Pharisee’s, they sent a lawyer with the nefarious intent of trying to lure Him into saying something they could use against Him, and asked Him which command was the greatest. In the Jewish religious system of Christ’s time, pleasing God came down to works, keeping the law of Moses (and the hundreds of additional customs they had attached to them). Yet, Christ answers the question plainly. The greatest command is not ascribed to outward action but is strictly internal. Love God above all and love others as much as you do yourselves. He then makes a profound statement. All of the laws of God and the words of the prophets hang on this. If you want to please God perfectly, it comes down to love.
Jesus points to the heart. Our literal hearts are the only muscle that cannot be manipulated or controlled by our minds. Spiritually, Christ demonstrates in His answer that, if the Father has our hearts, He has us completely. How perfect that the only thing our brains or will cannot tame is the one thing He demands we surrender to His control. How exactly like God to make the one muscle we cannot control the only one that does not grow weary.
Our Father designed our natural hearts to be a nearly inexhaustible powerhouse of life, one that does not give up, does not grow weary, fights for life and health until it’s final beat. Then He draws a parallel in scripture with reference to human hearts a whopping 826 times (per the KJV). Perhaps it is not a coincidental that the physical heart and proverbial heart have so much in common considering Christ tells us that the one thing that means everything is to have the love of God reigning in seat of our emotions, character, beliefs and affections – our hearts.