The word "heart" appears in the Bible 886 times (563 in the Old Testament; 164 in the New Testament).
Hebrew: lebab: inner man, mind, will, heart ( Original Word: לֵבָב)
Greek: kardia: heart, mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center.
Original Word: καρδία
In English, we have often limited it (beyond the physical organ) to love or the location of feeling or emotion.
I like the biblical understanding of it being our intention, will or the center of our being. It is our motivation for life and the ways in which we seek to live - to live by our heart. There is still room for "love" in this understanding, but as more than just a feeling or emotion. When we proclaim our love for another, we are also stating our intentions for that relationship. To love another is about more than how we feel, but how we act in relationship to them.
This is exemplified in the greatest commandment: We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul and with all our strength and with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27) This passage is followed by the story of the Good Samaritan that reveals how this man's heart acts lovingly and with intention towards his neighbor.
In Matthew's Gospel, we hear "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (6:21). What is it that we hold fast to? What do we treasure in our lives?
In this past year, we have re-assessed what is "essential" and most important not just for our individual lives, but for our community as well. How do our hearts reflect what is essential? How does our character/will/purpose reveal our hearts?
Christ's heart revealed his purpose as Jesus set his face for Jerusalem and the cross. His heart overflowed with his intention to give of his whole self in love for the sake of the world.
May the fulness of Christ's heart meet us this day and may we seek to live whole-heartedly as God's beloved people.
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