Heart to heart
- Ron Clucas
- Sep 10
- 3 min read
When I was much younger, I had difficulties with relationships. It wasn't something I even thought of getting help with - it was just the way I was...a result of my own poor self-image and how others mostly seemed to relate to me by rejection, lack of inclusion and bullying.
I hasten to say that attitude I had is well behind me now. So how did I get here? The short answer of course is "only God".
Fast forward from my younger years to an event in the Midlands, around my late forties to early fifties. The speaker was Bill Lackie, the American evangelist. At a point towards the end of the event, Bill asked people to go forward for prayer. So, all more or less went forward, including me.
As Bill went from one side of the large group to the other, touching people's heads, while continuously praying, people were instantly going down like ninepins, everyone...until he came to me. I stayed upright, the only one to do so, remaining standing among a sea of bodies as he moved on towards the other side, with all those on the other side of me likewise going down. It looked like the aftermath of a catastrophic event with just me in the middle, still upright.
Then Bill turned, looked at me and came back to where I stood. He came and wrapped his arms around me, asking me to reciprocate his action as he continued to hold me firmly.
"He's not going to force me down" I thought, bracing myself. [ Bill is very sturdily built].
Then he said, "Feel my heartbeat" and as I did, I calmed down.
After a short time in this embrace Bill said, "This is how you need to be with God: heart-to-heart".... that close!
For me it was a lot to think about, ruminate on and that message has stayed with me ever since. So, what about the ensuing results? Was there an immediate change? Well, frankly, no. It was a long journey towards the desired destination of God's heart.
How then does one proceed on such a journey? As with a physical journey, it depends how far away you are. Physically we might use a roadmap or satnav, but in this case the Bible is the best guide, supported of course by Holy Spirit and prayer.
In the Bible there are upward of 750 references to the heart, clearly a very important issue. I will mention just a few here.
Jeremiah 17:9 asserts that, “ the heart is deceitful above all things" and Jesus, quoted in Mark 7:21-22, listed the many facets of this when He said," For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these things come from inside and make a man unclean".
Wow! What an indictment!
In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord tells Samuel that He has rejected Eliab, saying “He looks at the heart, not the outward appearance.”
And in Jeremiah 24 He says, “He will give (the Israelites) a heart to know Him as Lord”. This is supported by Paul, who in Romans 5:5 says "hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us".
You might now ask how you can know this for yourself, in your own heart. Ezekiel 18:30 tells us to “repent, rid ourselves of any offensive way and get a NEW heart and a NEW spirit.”
We can measure our heart attitude by self-examination to see in our own lives where we are in our walk with Him, in terms of repentance, calling out to Him, recognising where we are obedient to His precepts, prompts and leadings; how faithful we are to follow HIS way and to express our gratitude.
All these of course to be done in a deep, prayerful attitude, not as a 'tick list' This process may take you a long time; don't rush it!
Going forward, ponder on Matthew 15:8. (not just lips but hearts). If you feel it would be helpful, write out prayers for any changes you would like to see in your own life and in your children's lives where it applies.
Finally - don't be overwhelmed by all this!
TAKE HEART, God is on your side!!
Ron Clucas
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