My wife Becky has taught each of our kids that their first kiss is important.
That you only get one first kiss. Once you give it away you can never get it back. So it should be treated as valuable, and special, and not just given away to the first yahoo that comes calling. That giving away your first kiss should be meaningful.
When did God first catch your attention?
Maybe you were a kid and someone invited you or took you to church, or a VBS program. Perhaps you were older and went to a concert where Jesus’ name was mentioned. You might even have been an adult before you first noticed God.
When was it?
And when was it that God captured your heart?
I was thirteen years old at a Sunday evening church service (anybody remember those?). Dad was delivering the message, which was unusual. He usually led the song service—as they called it then—but he didn’t often preach.
He spoke of committing your life to God, so your life could be used in whatever fashion God might choose. I went forward at the end of service to pray and make that commitment.
For me it was a first step. It wasn’t a mind-bending, life-altering moment where some divine revelation crashed in on me and changed everything forever. While I know people who have had that happen, it simply hasn’t been my story.
My faith journey has been far more like a staircase I keep tripping up and down. Still, once God captured my heart, he has never given it back.
When was it that God captured YOUR heart? What’s your story?
He made our hearts, of course. But he also gave our hearts their freedom with the hope that we would return to him and choose him of our own accord.
And he promises that when we DO turn to him we will find him waiting for us:
“Then you will call on me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, when you will seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:12-13 EHV
The Message translates the second part of that passage this way: “When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.”
God wants to capture your heart. He made it for you to give away. But his desire is that you would choose him. He wants to be meaningful to you.
Are you ready to get serious about finding God?
He’s waiting for you.
A song for today? But of course!
This is one to not simply skim past, but to hear. CLICK HERE for the audio.
You’re the maker of my heart, cause you formed the hearts of all
And long before I knew it you were waiting for my call
You’re the author of my life, and you know my every part
It’s so good to know the maker of my heart
When I was just a dream you could see my head and form
You planned for me to know you from the moment I was born
Before my mouth had opened you knew everything I’d say
So search my heart and lead me in your ever truthful way
You hem me in completely with your strong and loving hand
In time you will accomplish everything your heart has planned
Men may speak against you and deny that you exist
But of all the truths I’ve ever learned, the greatest one is this:
Bob Kauflin, “Maker of My Heart”, from the GLAD album No Less Than All, 1983
Today, seek God with all your heart. Find him. And let God capture your heart once and for all so he can accomplish everything his heart has planned for yours.
That’s worship.
–Pastor Steve.