Heart Considerations –do they affect our responses with others?
Tonight, my wife and I watched an episode of the Walton’s. It was an interesting story. The father was offered a very nice price for their land and the story showed him looking at all that was involved with considering the offer. What impressed me the most was, he wanted to hear what his family actually thought about selling the place and moving. There are two ways of speaking, head speaking or heart speaking. Mr. Walton wanted to hear the heart. Finally, one of the children spoke up and shared from their heart.
As my wife and I reflected on that movie, we considered that when Mr. Walton wanted to hear from the heart of his children, he was also teaching them something very important. We get our concept of God often from the response of our fathers. If they were not personally interested in us it affects how we view God—we might then view God as just someone very distant. But when our fathers show an interest in what interests us and our concerns—that shows that God is personally interested in us.
I grew up with a father who loved us, but I can remember only a few times that he actually listened to us. I have a brother who has turned away from following the Lord. He is my only brother, and I have no sisters.
My father is now passed. Fortunately he knew the Lord.
Today in praying with other men on a conference call, I sensed that my concern and response to my brother may be a way that God is showing my brother that God is concerned about him. I remember a few years back, there was a crisis—that affected our nation—and my brother had at one time helped the person that was directly in the crisis. My brother asked me to use my contacts in the prayer arena, to pray about the divide in our country that caused the crisis. I have not forgotten it, and have encouraged others to pray about it. One place seemed to come close to doing a story on it, but the news focus suddenly changed, and that story was dropped. In essence what that action said was that they really did not care about heart issues. I share what happened, because to show God’s concern to others—we need to hear the heart and respond to the heart cry. When we don’t, it sends a communication that what happened really does not matter, and that can hurt our confidence that God is interested in us. When we respond out of concern to heart cries, it can send a good message that God does care.
I for one want to seek the Lord to help me respond with my heart to my brother’s heart cries. Perhaps then he will see from my action (with the help of God’s Holy Spirit) that God is concerned about him, and encourage him to turn back to the Lord. That is my prayer.
--I would appreciate hearing from others who may be willing to share how they developed their concept of God.
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Lewis...I want to encourage you that I appreciate so much your wonderful expression of this...it is causing me to deeply think about this and it is bringing up such gratitude in all the ways the Lord has shown His care and concern to me and so many and through so many ... I truly was a captive as perhaps we all are until God breaks through directly and in and through the care of so many people that also care about us... sometimes He moves us by His Spirit and our willingness by the example we have in our lives of others who do so...but we have yet no inkling of just how deep the Father's Love for us personally...until more of the things that separate us from His pure Word and Spirit...so we are abiding more fully surrendered to Christ Alone that we can fully rest and adore Him. I will try to come back to express better....Thank you so much, Cathy
Cathy--There is much depth in what you shared, and it is encouraging to see it--not only for myself, but know that others will appreciate your thoughts also.