Heart

What word were you expecting? It is, after all, Valentine’s Day.

What is there to say of the heart? Shall we discuss its importance to the body? The need to keep it healthy and pumping faithfully with proper diet, exercise, well-balanced life with minimum of stress, or at least appropriate levels of “good” and “bad” stress.

Perhaps we can consider its metaphorical significance. All that love poetry, written from the depths of the poet’s heart. Pain or joy; longing or despair; affection or jealousy. Piles of feelings overflow the human heart.

Did you ever wonder about the shape of the heart? The shape we cut out of construction paper as soon as we’re allowed to use the scissors is really not very close to the shape of the actual organ. Besides, people had been using that shape long before the heart’s anatomy was explored. It is thought that the shape has other ancient and very meaningful origins we’ll not discuss here. You can do the Wikipedia search for yourself.

Then there are the scriptures that send us into our theological contemplations. The God of the Israelites who somehow "hardened Pharaoh's heart." Why? And much later “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Another way of sending us to “what matters most”? How can we know? How to interpret the “burning of the heart in the bosom.”

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.

I thought this as I read Paul Davis’ account of the church leaders in Africa. You can follow his travels here. Do look at those faces. “Serious” is what Paul calls them. Fully engaged in their work of becoming the best leaders, ministers, teachers, pastors, bishops…they can be. Consider those countries listed there: Congo, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Nigeria among them. How their hearts must be dedicated to their calls.

My heart goes out to them. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Posted by Marion