Spock Theology------------By Robert
|
I awoke early with that empty sensation in my stomach, anxious that I  would be left high and dry. I could have simply cast down these feelings and confessed faith, however, they had something to tell me. As I allowed them, faced them, I realized I was concerned about an upcoming speaking engagement. "What if I bomb?" "What if I don't connect with people?" With all the benefits of understanding deliverance and faith, there can be times of going too far. God is desiring to do something in our hearts, but if we deny the impurity exists every time it arises, growth is not possible. God calls us to be diligent watchmen of the gardens of our hearts. So how do we do this?
God admonishes, "Guard your hearts, for everything you do flows from them" (Proverbs 4:23). Guard means to watch, keep, observe, preserve. In three places within the scriptures, the Hebrew word is translated "watchmen." How do we keep watch over our hearts? By observing our emotions. Emotions are the gauges of our heart that tell us if there is too much pressure or if it is overheating.
Mr. Spock, the Vulcan character from Star Trek, says emotions are bad. We must master them so they don't master us. And we have often  heard this taught. Certainly if we are about to sin, this is good advice. However, a deeper use is in checking our emotions to understand what is happening in our heart, to watch and guard it. David did this repeatedly in the Psalms as did Jesus in the Gospels.
As I tuned into my emotion of fear that morning and saw that what was behind it was an upcoming speaking engagement, I was able to lift that to the Lord. God reminded me that I have learned well how to present information; I'm not powerless, and I can apply what I've learned. Now you try listening to your emotions this week, watching over your heart, and bringing all your concerns to the Lord.
|
