The Long-Haul Heart
Well glory be, friend, look at you wanderin’ up this ol’ front porch like a bright lil’ ol’ chipmunk that finally found the one human who will not holler at it. Step right on up and mind that ol’ chicken hen struttin’ around like she is runnin’ for office. Grab yourself a mighty comfy rocker and let the breeze git to settlin’ your thoughts because we’re about to be moseyin’ on into a truth that can warm your heart faster than a pot of stew bubblin’ on a wood stove.
Psalm 51:10 tells us, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” And Proverbs 3:3 says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.” God ain’t lookin’ for folks who chase after feelin’s. He’s plum lookin’ for hearts that stay real loyal.
Now friend, love just ain’t always pretty. Those first stirrin’s of romance can feel a whole lot like butterflies that got real confused and turned into fighter jets. Your appetite plum disappears. Your nerves dance around like a lil’ ol’ squirrel that found a big ol’ stash of pecans. But those feelin’s don’t stay at full boil. They settle into embers that can still glow bright, but they don’t roar like they once did.
The trouble comes when folks think the embers mean love is plum gone. They chase after excitement instead of real commitment. They jump from one relationship to another like a frog hoppin’ lily pads, never learnin’ what real love is. And the same thing can happen in our walk with the Lord. The thrill of salvation is mighty powerful, but feelin’s fade. When they do, we must not git to driftin’. We must deepen our faith and trust.
David sho’-nuff’ understood that. He asked God to renew a loyal spirit, not a dramatic one. Loyalty is the backbone of faith. It’s what keeps you steady when feelin’s flutter away like a startled lil’ ol’ quail. Our walk with God ain’t no sprint. It’s a real long, faithful trail through hills, valleys, and quiet woods. And He meets us in the steady steps.
Father, create in us clean hearts and loyal spirits. Help us love You with commitment, not just excitement. Teach us to walk faithfully, pray daily, and trust deeply. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Well, alright then, friend, as you make your way back into the doin’s of your day, you’ve gotta be makin’ up your mind to be lettin’ your loyalty git to shinin’ like a glowin’ lantern on a real dark trail at night. You’ve gotta be lettin’ your faith stay mighty steady like an ol’ oak tree that keeps right on reachin’ higher and higher toward the sky. You’ve gotta be lettin’ your love for God warm your heart the way the sunlight warms a meadow after dawn. Now go on out there, friend, and walk that loyal trail with the joy of the Lord.
With joy,
Gwen
