jess leigh hanna

When I was very little, I asked Jesus into my heart. I always believed he was trustworthy, and I knew he could keep me out of hell, which seemed important. So I asked Jesus into my heart, or so I thought. 

But nearly three decades later, I’ve learned otherwise: Jesus invited me into His heart. 

This key distinction has flipped my idea of Christianity upside down and inside out, and has transformed my faith immensely.

I think too many of us assume God is an option we can decide to choose when the time is right. So then when we choose, we’ve chosen on our terms, and we continue to live out our faith on our terms, too.

We think we accept Jesus into our hearts, as if the God who created the universe comes and shrinks into us and then stays small in a corner of our life. But if Jesus invites us into his heart, it’s his grace and favor that beckon us towards him. He has something to offer, something tantalizing to feed us, and finally we realize how desperately hungry we are. 

Sometimes we think that we’re just sinners saved by grace, and we continue on with this “woe is me” attitude, and every time we fail we mutter about how “we’re just human.” But if God has adopted us as his son and daughters, then “sinner” is no longer our identity. We are beloved children. And when we make a mistake, which we will, we can run quickly back to our Father who has already forgiven every sin and who will make all things right. We don’t fear sin, or shame, or condemnation. We are dearly loved children. We’ve been invited into his heart.

Sometimes we recognize that we’re children of God, but we think that God only wants us to read about what he’s done in the past–when in reality he is very excited to invite us into what he’s doing now. When the Bible was canonized and considered “closed” (meaning no other writings would be included or considered authoritative as Scripture), it seems we’ve  begun to believe that the Spirit’s holy tongue went silent, too. But while the Jesus-on-earth eyewitnesses have died, Jesus-in-heaven is still very much alive and actively speaking to those on earth. His sheep hear his voice, and they’re listening–because he still has lots to say. He’s still teaching us his heart. 

Let’s not be deceived into thinking that God has gone silent, where we settle for only studying what he’s done in the past and aren’t looking and listening for what he’s doing right now. 

He didn’t leave his Holy Spirit for us to quench with our Bible study. The Holy Spirit ushers us into Jesus’ continued ministry of bringing heaven to earth. Jesus didn’t come to make better Bible study-ers, he came to make disciples–followers who knew who he was, what he did, and what he’s continuing to do. The Holy Spirit at Pentecost marked a new era in our restoration story: God made us in his image, he came and dwelt among us, and now he is dwelling within us. God hadn’t dwelt with man since Eden, and had never dwelt within them until now. He is doing a new thing, and it’s still happening.

Children of God, are we paying attention? Can we see what he’s up to, and are we ready to go when our Father says “now”? He hasn’t stopped speaking, he hasn’t stopped moving, and he hasn’t ceased being miraculous. 

He’s invited us into his heart, and it’s so much better this way.

Don’t miss out. 

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash