A Word about the Affairs of the Heart

Today I want to share a word about the affairs of the heart, as I comment on Jeremiah 17:5-10. This passage reads:

Thus says the LORD: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the LORD. They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse-- who can understand it? I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

On February 14th many people around the world celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. This feast day in the Anglican Church tradition has come to symbolize romantic love, and like many traditions, its origin is somewhat murky, with little agreement about the details of why we celebrate romantic love on this day of the year.

The legends of St. Valentine’s Day are many. One such story has St. Valentine being martyred by the Roman empire for illegally marrying Christian couples. Another story asserts that the night before his execution, the future saint send a goodbye note to a loved one signed “Your Valentine,” from which we get the modern practice of sending Valentine’s cards. A third story details how St. Valentine would give heart-shaped pieces of parchment to couples to remind them of their marriage vows and of God’s love.  

These stories are not endless, but they are copious!

Whatever the actual truth may be, it is complicated by the fact that there were at least two leaders of the early church named Valentine who were martyred by the Romans for obeying God’s law above human law.  This too, is romantic, but not in the way St. Valentine’s Day portrays romance. There is something very appealing, however, about Christian believers who choose following God even to the cost of their own lives.

If we could inquire about the affairs of the human heart to Jeremiah today, his concern would not be about romantic love, or cards shaped like hearts. His concern would be if our hearts were aligned with God’s will or if they were in rebellion against God. And he would be concerned for the right reasons.

If our hearts are not right with God, the rest of our lives will be out of balance as well. Like the David in the 1st Psalm, Jeremiah clearly argues that the key to a happy life is not a happy wife as the saying goes, but a right relationship with God that transforms our hearts.

Because our hearts are naturally wicked, they must be made new by the power of God. When our spiritual lives thrive, that sets the conditions for our natural lives to thrive as well. Conversely, when we are spiritually weak, the ability to thrive in our natural lives will be equally compromised.

Celebrating St. Valentine’s day the way we do is fun and harmless. If we really wanted to celebrate the martyrs who share that name, however, we need to renew our love relationship with our Heavenly Father, so I will leave you with this command from Jesus:

“If you love me, keep my commandments”

Amen and amen!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt