A Heart That Is Willing

Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, had a willing heart when she left her family to follow Abraham’s servant to be the wife of his son Isaac.  She did not hesitate for a moment when the time came for her to leave, even though facing resistance from the family. When asked the question, Will you go with this man? She answered in three short words: I will go (Gen. 24:51-58). That young girl had never met Abraham’s servant before to make the decision to leave her family behind to follow him, however, guided by her willing heart, she took a step of faith and became the mother of a great nation, yet to be born, invisible to the world but in God’s plan. When God called Abraham to leave his family and all that was familiar to him, to go to a land he did not know, he did not argue with God, because his heart was willing to follow Him. His heart was also willing to sacrifice his only son in obedience to Go. In return, God blessed him with the promise not only to multiply his descendants, but from him the holy Seed (YAHSHUA) was going to come (Gen. 22).

A willing heart is the heart that is contrite before God, free from pride; it is a soft and accessible heart for God to exercise His will. A heart that is willing to go miles beyond those expected. The Prophet Isaiah said, Here am I, send me; the young Samuel answered the Lord, Speak Lord, for I am listening. Mary’s heart was willing to be the mother of our Savior, saying, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said (Luke1:38). Mary was the favorable one of the Lord; she was the most blessed woman ever to have been born; one whose motherhood’s responsibilities surpassed that of any mother at anytime and anywhere in this world, but she was never to be worshipped or prayed to. Mary was as human as you and I are, and in need of a Savior to rescue her from the penalties of sin. The will, the emotion and the mind comprise the soul of men. They must conform to the will of God; the first two are embed in the heart. So, a heart that is penitent will show its colors through the emotions and the will. The heart, the physical part of the body, feels the emotions and reacts upon them with sorrow, or happiness. However, the mind reacts to emotions through reasoning. It is by reasoning that decisions are made. A mind is then the center control of the body.  A renewed mind is a transformed mind in its attitude and in its ideals. A transformed mind leads to a willing heart of submission to God. It is through it that doors will be opened for God to bless and fulfill His calling in and through each of us. The willing heart has ears to hear and to listen the message in order to follow it holding the cross before him and the world behind him, looking ahead, to YAHSHUA the Author of the faith. We must run the race steadily, actively with persistence following the course that is set before us, stripped of every encumbrance which so readily clings to and entangles us (Heb. 12:1).

YAHSHUA said, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41b). What comprises the flesh if not the soul of man? We desire, we feel emotions and we reason with the mind which is the soul.  The flesh in itself cannot do any of these three things. Paul appealed to the Roman brethren to make a decisive dedication of their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you] (Rom. 12:1-2). A willing heart comes from a renewed mind toward God and His Word; it comes as a result of the decision we make to follow the Lord YAHSHUA our Messiah.  However, there is for those who have made a decision to follow Him a constant spiritual battle between the spirit and the flesh. When we give heed to the spirit, our heart follows in submission and willing to obey Him; however, when we listen to the flesh, then the heart becomes hard and indifferent to the spiritual things. Then the flesh wins over the spirit. Paul said, Now, if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it, but the sin which dwells within me. So, I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands (Rom. 7: 20-21). The Apostle Paul well expresses the spiritual warfare a true born-again Christian experience; in this, we see that the willing heart desires to do good according to the Lord’s will. We do not always succeed and like Paul, we must fight the good fight for righteousness.

Grant me Father, faith to desire a willing heart in sunshine or rain to accomplish Your will in my life. Your will, not mine, let it be when I can’t hold my faith strong; when the storm arises above my head, strengthen me to say, Not my will, but yours be done.  In YAHSHUA’S name Amen!