I haven't posted to my blog in over a year. As a matter of fact, the whole reason I created the blog was to compile the crazy stories I would experience from working at the bookstore... hence the name of the blog. Since the last post, I am no longer at the bookstore, but at a fast food eating establishment. I have graduated college and am preparing to move. I have seen a horrible family split, watched a boyfriend come and go, and witnessed changes within my own faith and personality that I didn't think would ever happen.
So many things have happened over the course of the last year. It would be madness for me to try and summarize it into one blog post... so I've decided that I'm barely going to scrape the surface.
Today is Easter.
I went to church.
I enjoyed it immensely and I've missed the heart burn.
Jason, my pastor at Jenny Lind First Baptist Church in Greenwood, preached on Luke 24 this morning... a passage commonly known as the resurrection passage; the one where Jesus reveals himself to the two on the road to Emmaus. I have always loved verse 32.. when the two realize that Jesus was just among them and that he had been with them all along on their journey. They said to each other "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" (ESV) I have always loved that. Our hearts burn within us when Jesus speaks. That explains so much about the new testament. During any encounter with Jesus people were in awe of, and respected his words. Their hearts were set ablaze. This is exactly what happens when someone experiences "salvation". Our hearts are set ablaze... we realize that he has been with us all along... unfolding our lives before us and explaining to us the wonders and the majesty of the Father.
Today as Jason preached I couldn't help to be brought back to that "awe" moment. I spent a few moments remembering what it was like when my heart would be set ablaze by Jesus. In those moments I am given hope and a future. In those moments my faith is so rock solid that no one can waver me. But somehow... we always revert back to reality, when heaven is all around us. We don't have to wait for our hearts to be set ablaze to be grateful... we should be grateful for the opportunity to experience the fire, and we should never be content with embers... we should always be ready for him to spark the wildfire that will fuel us into passion for himself and those around us. It's been a while... and to feel the heart burn today reminded me of my purpose and passion...
May our hearts be set ablaze as we remember him. And may our hearts continue to radiate all throughout the year.
So many things have happened over the course of the last year. It would be madness for me to try and summarize it into one blog post... so I've decided that I'm barely going to scrape the surface.
Today is Easter.
I went to church.
I enjoyed it immensely and I've missed the heart burn.
Jason, my pastor at Jenny Lind First Baptist Church in Greenwood, preached on Luke 24 this morning... a passage commonly known as the resurrection passage; the one where Jesus reveals himself to the two on the road to Emmaus. I have always loved verse 32.. when the two realize that Jesus was just among them and that he had been with them all along on their journey. They said to each other "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" (ESV) I have always loved that. Our hearts burn within us when Jesus speaks. That explains so much about the new testament. During any encounter with Jesus people were in awe of, and respected his words. Their hearts were set ablaze. This is exactly what happens when someone experiences "salvation". Our hearts are set ablaze... we realize that he has been with us all along... unfolding our lives before us and explaining to us the wonders and the majesty of the Father.
Today as Jason preached I couldn't help to be brought back to that "awe" moment. I spent a few moments remembering what it was like when my heart would be set ablaze by Jesus. In those moments I am given hope and a future. In those moments my faith is so rock solid that no one can waver me. But somehow... we always revert back to reality, when heaven is all around us. We don't have to wait for our hearts to be set ablaze to be grateful... we should be grateful for the opportunity to experience the fire, and we should never be content with embers... we should always be ready for him to spark the wildfire that will fuel us into passion for himself and those around us. It's been a while... and to feel the heart burn today reminded me of my purpose and passion...
May our hearts be set ablaze as we remember him. And may our hearts continue to radiate all throughout the year.
