Who Has Your Heart?

Has Christ truly won your heart, or is He merely your insurance for heaven or your help in times of need? Whatever wins our heart ultimately controls us or exerts tremendous influence over our will. 

If we love money, we willingly work overtime without hesitation. Some may even secretly, or openly, play the lottery in hopes of gaining more. Many choose careers primarily because of the salary they offer.

Love also determines how we spend our time.  If we love football, we can spend hours in front of the television every weekend watching one game after another. We never seem to check the time, nor do we appreciate being interrupted. We may even spend whatever is necessary to secure the best seats at a game. Once I saw a news segment featuring a man who had attended every Super Bowl.  He acknowledged that he had missed the births of his children, family birthdays, and wedding anniversaries because of his commitment to the game.  It did not matter where the Super Bowl was held, what personal events were taking place, or how expensive the tickets became – he was determined to be there. His love for football had become so dominant that it governed his priorities and shaped his decisions.

People rarely mind spending money on what they love.  Those who love trucks invest in whatever it takes to make the truck look as good as possible. Those who enjoy clothing shop regularly. Those who love travel spend significant amounts of money visiting places they believe they will enjoy. We almost always find a way to justify spending more on what has captured our hearts.

Whatever we love shapes our will, our schedule, and our spending habits.  It also determines the level of sacrifice we are willing to make.  People who love their careers often work far beyond what is expected.  Parents who deeply love their children will go to extraordinary lengths for them.  The depth of our love is revealed by the sacrifices we willingly make

There is no question that God has demonstrated His love for us.  He drew us to Himself for salvation (John 6:44; Romans 3:11). He faithfully provides for our daily needs (Luke 12:22-36).  He sustains all things by the power of His Word (Hebrews 1:3). He gave His son to die for us (John 3:16). Christ continually intercedes for every believer (Romans 8:26). He has also prepared an eternal home for all who belong to Him. (John 14:2-3).

How, then, should our love for Him be expressed? Jesus taught that genuine love for God results in loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-40), loving one another (John 13:34-35), obeying His commands (John 14:15), abiding in His Word, worshipping Him wholeheartedly, and serving Him faithfully.

The question, then, is not whether we say we love God.  The real question is whether our daily lives bear witness to that love. Do our priorities, our calendars, our checkbooks, our sacrifices, and our obedience declare that Christ has truly won our hearts? When others observe our lives, do they see a person captivated by Christ, or someone merely grateful for what He provides? Our actions will always reveal what our hearts genuinely treasure.