A heart beats about 115,000 times each day.
A heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day.
A woman’s heart beats slightly faster than a man’s heart.
Most heart attacks happen on a Monday.
A heart is a symbol of love, life, or anything that is at the center of utmost importance.
Figuratively, it is presented as, soft, hard, bleeding, weak, strong, stubborn, on fire,
In the Bible, when the heart is mentioned, it is uncommon that it is referred to as the human heart that regularly pumps blood to the body. Rather, a very important concept in which God seems very interested.
[SAMUEL WAS SENT TO ANOINT DAVID]
One of the most prominent stories of how God demonstrated his interest in our hearts is when the young shepherd boy David was about to be chosen as the next King of his Israel.
Do you remember the story?
The Lord, through Samuel, wants to anoint the next King.
When Samuel saw Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse (David’s father), Samuel (without even interrogating or evaluating Eliab), immediately assumed that he is the one.
Can you relate here? When we already have a presupposition, we immediately jump to conclusions without consulting God.
In fairness, Samuel is a prophet, he must have spiritual discernment, he knows God and at some level, he knows what God wants, but this time his discernment failed him because he never spent time with God and asked. (Among the sons, is he the eldest?)
This is how important communicating with God is. Regardless of how long we have been a leader/Christians, we need to sit and hear from Jesus.
This is when the Lord said to Samuel,
1: Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
[7 BROTHERS VS YOUNG DAVID]
Jesse let all his other 6 sons pass in front of Samuel, but all of them God rejected. We can conclude that Eliab is TDH. The rest of the brothers are likely well-built because they are all soldiers.
Nevertheless, David is also a fine young man. The Bible describes David as glowing with health and having a fine appearance and handsome features. He is not a soldier, yet he has killed lions and bears while protecting his sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock, David goes out after it and attacked it, and rescues the sheep from its mouth.
In fairness to the brothers, they can all be a good choice. (the Lord can equip them) They are soldiers, and soldiers have certain qualifications like a strong body and focused mind, they have discipline, they possess courageousness, they trained hard, etc.
[DAVID’S HEART]
In real life, their outward appearances, like their physical attribute, their accomplishments, experiences, and vocation, are all important too. God is not saying – ignore all these because these are not important.
We must understand the situation in this passage so that we will not go saying, all these things are not important.
The context here is that – when everyone seems to be a good choice, the one whose heart beats differently is the best choice.
I just want this to be clear: The heart supersedes everything, but it is not the only thing for survival.
Why did Jesus say - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), if it is only the heart that matters?
Why did Paul say - Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2) if it is only the heart that matters?
In Ephesians 6 – we are taught of putting on the armour of God, not just to protect our hearts, but our whole being.
But, when the Lord looks at us, he looks at our hearts first and foremost.
And then other things, if we are lacking something he provides.
[DAVID’S HEARTBEAT]
When was the last time your heart beats faster than normal? Probably when issues in life came knocking at your door?
Imagine if Samuel knew that God is interested in a man’s heart, he “symbolically” took out a stethoscope, and listened to the heart of the brothers, one by one. (Use the props). Among the 8 brothers, David’s heart beats differently.
Acts 13:22 ESV And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
David's heart beats God’s heartbeat. David’s heart seeks to obey God.
Perhaps if the heartbeat of David is translated to words, Samuel will hear, Love, humility, kindness, integrity, love for the people, more importantly – faith and trust in God, obedience to God’s will.
When you listen to your heart now, and every heartbeat is translated into words, what words would you hear?
Jesus, the Gospel, Ministry, church, mission, outreach, people of God.
Hatred, unforgiveness, revenge, doubt, etc.
Is there anything that you are hiding that makes your heart off-beat with God’s heart?
[WHAT DO YOU PUT IN YOUR HEART?]
One of my life verses goes –
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV
In our heart is where we keep all our desires, passion, emotions, God’s word, and everything we choose to keep. To guard it is to be careful what you put in it.
Because when your heart beats, it will pump whatever is inside it to your entire body. Thus, it will affect how you think, speak and behave, your relationship with God, and with other people.
[ILLUSTRATION – BAG FULL OF RUBBISH]
When my daughter was still very young, there were several times wherein I opened her bag to look for something, only to find out things that should be there. Rubish, bread with mold, chopsticks, of course, there are school supplies, and there is a Bible, etc. Sometimes there’s a different scent already. Because of this, often my daughter can’t find what she is looking for. At one point I asked her jokingly, is this really your school bag or a rubbish bag?
When you allow people to take a look at your heart and what is inside your heart, can you confidently say that they will see a heart that is organized, clean, pure and that beats for God?
When you listen to your heart now,
Does it beat for the Church?
Does it beat to know and share the Bible?
Does it beat for God’s people?
If not, then it is time to come to God and open your heart and allow him to seek your heart, and let the Holy Spirit tell you the things that should not be there.
[REMINDER FOR MARRIED COUPLES]
A story is told about a young man who asked an old guy who has been married to his wife for over 50 years. He asked, “How can you still call your wife using such endearing words like honey, darling, etc.?” The old guy replied, “I forgot her name 40 years ago.
Married people, fill your heart with love, patience, and kindness towards your spouse.
When something is not right in our hearts, it beats differently. It will not just affect you, but the people around you too.
[PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH OUR HEART]
Our heart matters to God. And our heart will either lead us towards God, or away from God.
Our heartbeat if not beating the same as God’s God’s heartbeat, would lead us to distraction of life.
There were these parents who went to the school because their child was hit in the face by her classmate. The mother even told the father, to be brave, and project anger. The wife is ready to “rumble” and confront the parents of the other child. But before the confrontation, they reviewed the CCTV and were surprised by what they saw. Their daughter initiated the fight and even threw a flying kick at her classmate.
Funny, yet sometimes we are not careful, and we are careless, about what we put in our heart, which affects how it beats.
Be careful with your heart.
[WHAT IS INSIDE COMES TO THE SURFACE]
Be careful because - The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? - Jeremiah 17:9 NIV
God created our hearts to be beautiful, and only he can understand it. He created it to communicate with us.
Nevertheless, we are free to put anything we want there. Today you feel happy, tomorrow you desire something, the following day you feel something different, and it is due to what you put into it. Our heart becomes deceitful if we are not careful what we put in it. Sometimes, we put something there, and we forgot about it, and these are the things that come to the surface, and sometimes deceive us.
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
[WHEN OUR HEART BEATS AS ONE WITH GOD’S HEART]
On the other hand, when our hearts beat for God, and beat as one with God’s hearts.
Our life will have direction.
We will have clarity of God’s plan for us.
Sometimes, we won’t have to say that we have Jesus, people will just know it.
Take, for example, the testimony of a girl named Ericka. She had a tough life as she made ends meet. But when she allows God to work in her heart, in order for it to beat for Jesus, with the help of the people she met at the Lucky Plaza, Singapore.
Her perspective in life changes
She stepped out of her comfort zone.
She took a step of faith in the most recent water baptism.
With God’s grace, her heart beats for Jesus now and she knows it because she is excitedly sharing her encounter with Jesus with her friends too.
[CHALLENGE / CONCLUSION]
To summarize, the “heart” in the Bible refers to a person’s inward moral and spiritual life, including emotions, will, and reason.
Let your heart beat for Jesus by,
Regularly confess our sins and maintain a pure and repentant heart.
Spending time with God, connecting with your heart.
Find someone who will regularly listen to your heartbeat, if needed – will ask you “How’s your heart?”
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you guard your heart. Only God can see our heart, only him through Jesus, can create in us a heart after his own heart.
When I caught a virus and throat infection for over 7 days, I can’t eat or move. When I woke up, I feel very sleepy and lethargic already. Often, I just looked at the ceiling, and what I can only do is talk to God. One day, I had an epiphany and asked myself, as I listen to my heartbeat, I asked myself what if one day it stops beating? Will I have many regrets in life, can I say that I live a meaningful life? On the other hand, I was thinking, when God heals me, how do I want my heartbeat differently?
I remember the Lord speaks to me powerfully - he said, just give me your heart. I created it, I have a purpose for it, and I know what to do with your heart.
We don’t have to be in this same situation in which we can contemplate deeply whether our heart will continue beating or will end soon.
In God’s grace, he is asking us now, what does your heart beat for? When your heart beats, what does it say?
Brothers and sisters desire every beat of your heart to be always meaningful.
Let’s give our hearts to God and live for him. He knows what to do with our hearts.
Reflection question
1. When you listen to your heart now, and every heartbeat is translated into words, what words would you hear?
2. How do you live your life differently knowing that God is interested in your heart?
3. Who are the people you are going to share your heartbeat for God with, in order for them to desire to have a heart that beats for God?
Note: Preached on 29 July 2023
