Inch by Inch

How long does it take the average person to go eighteen inches?  On your mark, get set, go.  Grab that high priced mathematical calculator and plug in some of those magical formulas and give me the answer down to the millisecond. How long could it possibly take?  One quick step and it is done.   The buzz words of our society are quick, easy, buy it now, one click shopping.  No waiting is music to our ears.  We like the drive through, on-line buying and shipped for free to our door.   So the answer to how long it should take the average person to go eighteen inches would be the snap of  your fingers, the blink of your eye, the swoosh of a hummingbird’s wings.   No time at all!

But wait, not so fast.  They say it is approximately eighteen inches from your head to your heart.  For over 50 years I have had the knowledge of God’s mercy in my head and yet, that truth has not completely found its way down those eighteen inches into my heart.  For over 50 years, I have had the glorious truth of God’s amazing grace and forgiveness firmly planted in my head and yet, I still do not walk in the freedom that I would know if that truth was totally transferred into my heart.  Now some might say that those are deep theological matters that it takes years to fully appreciate.  I can buy that, but what about the simpler things like don’t worry, no need to fear, or don’t judge.  I have not even managed to master the full eighteen inches in those areas.

    

Like I said, you would think that moving God's truth eighteen inches would be a quick and easy process.  Not so!  Satan does not care how many church services we go to or how many times we read our Bibles cover to cover.  He doesn't care how many Bible studies we go to or even teach.  There is no problem at all until we begin to ask the Lord to move the truth from our head to our hearts.  Those eighteen inches then become a battlefield.  We find God’s buzz words are patience and perseverance.  We hear the words wait on the Lord.  We discover Matthew 7:8  For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.  

So today I am asking the Holy Spirit to come and tutor me.  I want to move some truth from my head to my heart today.  How long will that take?  As long as is required.