"In the Heart"

Ever since my oldest son Isaac has been putting together sentences, he has used the phrase "I love you in the heart." It is a very sweet phrase that he just seemed to come up with one time. It has been four years now since he coined the term and it is now a phrase that we all use in the family, especially before bed time.

It was just recently that I was illuminated about the more serious undertones of "in the heart." I had just thought it was something sweet my little boy came up with and that it didn't really mean more love, because it was "in the heart." But let's consider a few divine words that deal with "the heart."

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 This scripture suggests that belief with your mind is not enough, but that the belief in Jesus' divinity is a "heart" thing.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Mark 11:23. This suggests that faith in Jesus that comes from the heart is indeed of the supernatural type.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3. Wow, that is just a beautiful statement.

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1a

It has become clear that not only in interpersonal relationships, but also in our relationship with God that there are deep theological undertones to "the heart." As Solomon says, "When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face. When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like."