What Does it Take For Your Heart to Burn?

My Bible reading this week, took me to Luke 24. I love the new insights the Holy Spirit gave me as I studied the passage this time. This is resurrection morning, so imagine being one of Jesus’ followers and what you might be experiencing that day. I want to make two points I believe the Lord said to me that morning.

Take time to stop here and read that chapter if you can. Make a note of anything that refers to something that is bright, light, or fire-like.

First the women, who came to anoint Jesus’ body, saw two dazzling men! Or, as the Bible states: “two men stood by them in dazzling clothes.” They tell the women to REMEMBER. The reference is to the words spoken by Christ about being risen on the third day. Once they remembered what Jesus had told them, they went to share the news to the apostles.

What do you need to remember today to cause you to trust? Is there a situation that has you afraid, angry, or defeated? Remember the last time you experienced His faithfulness and dwell on that so you can trust Him in your current situation. Perhaps this post I wrote earlier will be of help.

Second, let’s look at what happens on the Emmaus Road with two of the disciples. As they discussed all that had happened in the last few days, suddenly, Jesus was walking with them. They didn’t recognize Him. When He asks what they were arguing about, they are incredulous that He doesn’t know about the man crucified recently.

As they lament about “Jesus” not being the one they thought He was to be, He called them foolish for not believing the prophets (including Jesus Himself) who told them this would happen. As they shared some bread, suddenly they recognized Jesus! Perhaps they remembered Jesus said He was the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and that they shared bread with Him at the last supper (John 22:14-23).

Then Jesus disappeared. But their reaction is beautiful: “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?”

How does your heart feel when you read the Truths in the Bible? Grateful you had time to read that day? Happy to check it off your “to-do” list? Touched by a special message He spoke to you? Or was your heart “burning” as you read? I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to BURN when I read the Scriptures.

So, taking these two thoughts together, let me conclude with what Jesus said in the last encounter we see in this passage as He reappears to the disciples. Look at Luke 24:36-45. He told them that when doubts creep into their hearts, to look at His hands and feet, to touch Him and see.

I think He wanted them to understand, He is the living Truth, the promise of eternity, and they can trust Him 100%, no matter what the situation looks like. Then in verse 45, He “opens their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

We have access to His truth as well. The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand what He wants to teach us. But, to do that, we have to touch and see Him through the Words of the Bible, as we study individually, as we participate in discipleship groups and as we attend worship services.

How much time do you spend in not only reading the Bible, but engaging in the Truths you read, allowing them to quiet your fears and turn your doubts into faith? When was the last time the Word transformed your life?

If it’s been a while, stop right now and pray for God’s Truth to wash all over you, causing your heart to BURN with the fire of His Truth, and REMEMBER how faithful He has always been…and will always be.

This was in my journal the day I read this passage:…

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