David Roper
1 Timothy 4:6–11
It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace. Hebrews 13:9
Strengthening the Heart
Jul 6, 2016
The neighborhood fitness center where I have worked out for years
closed down last month, and I had to join a new gym. The former place
was a warm, friendly facility, patronized by those who liked to
socialize while they worked out. We hardly ever broke a sweat. The new
gym is a hard-core facility filled with serious men and women, earnestly
invested in building better bodies. I watch these people strain and
toil. Their bodies look strong, but I wonder if their hearts are being
strengthened with grace.
The heart is a muscle—the muscle that
keeps the other muscles going. It’s good to build and tone our other
muscles, but the essential thing is doing whatever keeps the heart
strong.
So it is with our spiritual heart. We strengthen and tone
the heart through the Word of truth by receiving its message of God’s
goodness and grace. Keeping our spiritual heart strong and fit must be
our first priority, the one thing we do above all others.
Paul
would agree: "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is
of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise
for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Tim. 4:7–8 esv).
May I feed on Your goodness every day, Lord, so my heart will grow stronger through the Spirit.
God’s training is designed to grow us in faith.