Bright Spot: Opening your heart to Jesus is key to faith

I have a pack of extra strength Tums in my desk; NOT because I get heartburn, but because I give it.

I’m teasing.

The truth is, I have two friends who had troubles with heartburn. The first thought he had heartburn, but really was having a heart attack. The second thought he was having a heart attack, but was actually experiencing heartburn.

Heartburn can be a deceptive, dangerous thing in the physical realm.

In the spiritual realm it can be very good: “They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:32)

This was one of the first post-Easter appearances of Jesus Christ to His followers. So much of what had been said about His suffering, death and resurrection hadn’t been understood: “How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” (Luke 24:25)

Every time he told them about His cross he also told them about His resurrection, but they didn’t get it. They had dull hearts AND dense heads. But eventually their hearts were burning. There was a new fire kindled in their hearts and a new spring in their steps, because they knew Jesus was ALIVE. He had risen “just as He said.” (Luke 24:6)

How about you? Maybe the greatest threat to the modern follower of Jesus is not the hard heart, but the cold one. We no longer have a fire in our belly or heart for serving or loving Jesus. It’s all the “same old, same old.” There’s little desire to talk about Him. We have plenty of knowledge about Jesus; the brain cells are firing, but there’s no fire in our heart.

It’s not about knowing facts, it’s about fire. It’s not knowing about Him. It’s about knowing Him. It’s not about having the papers for serving, it’s about having the passion for it. It’s not about Bible degrees; it’s about 150 degrees in your heart...and a dynamic walk with Christ.

To have the burning heart it takes…

1. Opened eyes (Luke 24:31) “… their eyes were opened.”

2. Opened Bible (Luke 24:32) “… He … opened the Scriptures.”

3. Opened minds (Luke 24:45). “… He opened their minds.”

4. Opened hearts (Luke 24:29). “… so He went in to stay."

These are the symptoms of a healthy heartburn and a healthy heart.

Rick Sams is pastor emeritus of Alliance Friends Church.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Bright Spot: Opening your heart to Jesus is key to faith