Having the heart of Jesus – Part 1

It was a deliberate act intended for salvation that God’s work of regeneration in man started from the heart. This is because the heart is the centre of human life; it makes us whom we are. The heart drives all that we do. That is why Solomon tells us to “keep (the) heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus further dissects the human heart, in Mark 7:20-23, when he said, “evil thoughts, murder, stealing, and other sins come from the heart, and that these make people unfit to worship God.” Always, God’s goal is to regenerate the human heart and to give man the heart of flesh that is after God.

Two hearts are contrasted in Ezekiel 36:26-27, the heart of stone and flesh. Each of these hearts responds to the gospel and the worship of God differently. As we read: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

The Bible wants us to conform to the total image of Jesus Christ, which includes not only his actions or commandments, but also having his heart and mind (Romans 8:29, 1Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1-2, Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:5). Having the heart of Jesus means having a gentle and humble heart.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus opens the very disposition and character of his heart. He says, “come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This is the only place in the New Testament where Jesus himself unveils to us his very heart. It is then understandable why the Catholic Church has an uncompromised devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus because it venerates God’s crucified love. Having the sacred heart of Jesus should be the model and goal for all believers. It is a heart that is full of love, compassion and peace.

The heart of Jesus, though gentle and lowly, is full of love. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends,” (John 15:13 (ESV).

The gentle and lowly heart of Jesus is compassionate. Jesus had compassion when he saw the multitude (Matthew 9:36). Jesus wept when they showed him the corpse of Lazarus (John 11:32-36).

His gentle and lowly heart is humble. He served and washed the feet of his disciples (John 13).
The gentle and lowly heart of Jesus was broken because of our sins. Though not directly mentioned our sins broke his heart, (Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV).His heart is not judgmental, but considerate and merciful (John 9:1-12). He had a gentle and kind heart (Mt.25:37-40).Luke 23:34 tells us that He had a forgiving heart. To those who crucified him, Jesus said on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” Luke 23:34a (ESV).The heart of Jesus is generous. Jesus said: “Give them something to eat.” This statement appears in the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, which is told in Mark 6, Luke 9 and John 6.
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