Tuesday, May 23, 2017

“The Companion of Our Hearts"


"The Companion of Our Hearts"

    Human companionship is a wonderful thing.  God made us for it, He would have us to enjoy it, and He greatly cares when our hearts feel bereft during times of painful challenge with people.  

   "These things I command you, that ye love one another" (John 15:17).
   "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up" (Psalm 27:10).

   Such blessed truth notwithstanding, the fact remains that God made us first for fellowship with Himself.  "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3).  The deepest place of our heart exists for Him.  In that holy place, we must join the Psalmist in his understanding and awareness: "My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him" (Psalm 62:5).  Indeed, we could lose family and friends, but if God remained, He would be enough to comfort and fill our hearts even as the tears fall from our faces.  "He is thy life" declared Moses regarding the truth that only One who can serve as our spirit's content and contentment (Deuteronomy 30:20).

   The fleeting nature of humanity requires that we embrace the truth we consider with all our hearts.  Again, we should greatly cherish and value our human bonds as gifts of God to our hearts.  We should seek out and devote ourselves to the company of others.  But we should not jeopardize our peace by seeking more of people than they can offer.  Nor should we put such impossible pressure on our loved ones.  Thus, we must build an altar in the depths of our being.  Or we must visit it often if the altar already stands.  "This is life eternal… Wait thou only upon God… He is thy life."  We must choose to believe in response to the Bible's plainly stated declaration that God Himself is the truest companion of our hearts.  In the deepest sense, He serves as the only companion thereof.  The High Priest alone can enter this holy of holies that resides in the innermost temple of our being.  Therein, as my wife Frances's life motto affirms, "Having Him, we have all."

   This is blessed, but hard truth.  Our flesh longs for other flesh to fulfill us, even as Adam hearkened to the voice of Eve rather than God (Genesis 3:17).  It is deep in the race of humanity to believe that we can fulfill each other.  Moreover, we presently "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  The altar we must build involves One we cannot see, hear, or touch.  We must build it nevertheless.  We must often visit the altar if it stands.  Yes, God made us to enjoy the fellowship and companionship of people.  But first and foremost, He made us to enjoy the fellowship and companionship of Himself.  This is the great truth of love that must be established in our hearts if we are to walk in the light of reality, and with the Life of our lives.  Concerning the fulfillment of our hearts, Christ only, Christ always, Christ forever.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  Nothing else.

"To live is Christ."
(Philippians 1:21)
"There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother."
(Proverbs 18:24)

Weekly Memory Verse
    And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.
(Revelation 19:11)

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