How is your heart?

(Read Mark 6:45-56)

Our hearts may be in trouble without us having knowledge, because often the problems start small, growing quietly until, suddenly, the crisis comes with all its might. Therefore, it is important to make a periodic check with tests in laboratories, not to be caught off guard.

Spiritually, such a thing happens. In this text we see that there are at least three possible conditions of a heart, about his spiritual state.

First condition: Devotee Heart (45-47)

Jesus commanded his disciples to board and go to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. Then he went up the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was at sea, and he alone on the land.

Jesus had super powers, authority; He could become the king of Israel, because the people were with him; but, still, he was fragile, in their humanity. He needed to be alone with the Father, ask his guidance, speak to him about their concerns. If the only time he had to do this was the time that normally others used to sleep, then it was like that! He could not neglect their time of devotion; It was the time when he replenished spiritually.

Rumor has it that our church is not seeking the Holy Spirit, that just makes prayers and waits God's answer, which never comes, or it takes to come, while other churches are more dedicated, do fasts, vigils, chains , campaigns, determine and declare the blessings. Now, what we're trying to do, it is what Jesus himself did in his moments of weakness. We try to seek the Father in silent prayer, because only he has the power to determine and declare the blessings. If he has told the other servants to determine and enact something and they do not, they are in sin. If he does not tell us that we should declare or determine something, and we dare to do it, we would not also guilty of presumption and boasting? Jesus himself, just said and did what the Father sent (John 5:19; 7:16-18).

We need to check in spiritual laboratories of the word of God and prayer, if our heart is, in fact, is in devotion's condition, because only then can we receive instruction and powers appropriate to our mission, which was given us in Matthew 28:19, 20.

Second condition: Hardened Heart (48-52)

Seeing the disciples in difficulty in rowing, for the wind was against them, about three or four in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea; and I wanted to take them to the front. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they thought he was a ghost, and shouted disturbed. But then he spoke to them and said, "Be of good cheer! I'm me. Fear not "And he went up to the boat to be with them, and the wind died down!; so they were also much admired, because they had not understood about the loaves; before, his heart was hardened.

We can start the day with silent prayer beside the bed even talking alone with the Father, listening to his voice, meditating on the Scriptures we read, and interceding for brethren, friends and family. A devout heart. Then we get up, and let's start daily activities, do personal hygiene, preparing coffee, clothe us to work, and start working hours. It is at this stage that day, usually our heart is hardened. The headwinds, the bouncing waves, prevent us from achieving the goals we have sought. We forget even the promises of God, the miracles he performed until recently, and we were nervous, stressed, unhappy with the insurmountable obstacles that hinder us in achieving the target. If something unforeseen happens, something that was not on our agenda, as bad news, an accident; we were terrified until listen to the voice of the Lord: "Be of good cheer! I'm me. Fear not! "

Why did the disciples went to the other side and left Jesus alone? They were sent, but, by the Lord, but why? Perhaps because his heart was already hardened, because they wanted to rest, since his rest had been frustrated because of the presence of the crowd. And God afflicted with the headwind, which prevented them from reaching the other side? That frustration should not have felt that revolt! Since the late afternoon until early dawn, paddling and not out of place! If I was there, maybe give up, and let the wind carry the boat back to shore, and come pray with Jesus, leaving the feet of the Father's throne, all my complaint.

Jesus compelled the disciples to go to the other side, as the Lord compelled Balaam to answer the call of Balak, but then gave him strength in the way (Num 22:20-35). I'm always intrigued when I think of the history of this prophet. Why the Lord sent him to go, and soon wanted to kill him? He would, even, killed Balaam, if not for the intercession of a donkey. The answer may lie in what the text does not explicitly reveals, was the heart's desire of Balaam, who certainly went against the will of God, while outwardly behaved exemplarily, in the eyes of the messengers of Balak king.

If in the exams, in the spiritual laboratories, we find that our hearts are hardened, we are forgetting us, and we have not tried to understand the miracles that Jesus has done in our lives, if we are swimming against the tide, spending all our energy to at finally, do not get anywhere, so we can hear the rebuke of the Lord, as the day that calmed the big storm, "As ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40). We must not lose us, "following the way of Balaam" (II Peter 2:15), but we should convert our hearts in a condition of constant devotion, as the heart of Jesus.

Third condition: Broken Heart (53-56)

Coming across, leaving the boat, the people traveled across the region, bringing the sick in bed. Wherever he entered, into villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, begging him to let them touch even the hem of his garment; and as many as touched went out cured.

The disciples, even not understanding why so much trial, followed Jesus, and with him met the crowds, which, broken hearts, seeking the only resource to soften their pain.

Sometimes, at the end of the day, our hearts also found thus broken; to have God allowed them reach the diseases, unemployment, disillusionment, endless afflictions. With broken hearts, we seek Jesus, because we believe in its power and in his pity, with which he can give us the desired relief. You, who are now reading this, may be with a broken heart, because you failed to achieve its goals, because you thinks that your life was a failure, because you has faced a serious illness of self or a loved one, because you lost possibility of communication with someone, whom the Lord took for himself. Know that Jesus is alive; are seeing your afflictions; and although he seems indifferent, you are including in their intercession with the Father, as we were told in Romans 8:34: " Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Or is praying for us, but also prayed for Peter, that his faith may not fail (Luke 2:31,32).

It's like he was on the mountain and, we in the middle of the lake. Rather than continuing with the hardened heart, trying things that, if they meet us, will be for a short time; rather than continuing with our anger, our bitterness, which makes us blind to the mercies of God, let's breaking our hearts, and turn it into a prayerful heart, like that of Jesus, who taught us by example when he prayed just before to deliver himself for our sake, "saying: Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).