Lesson 7: The Burning Heart
Luke 18:1 And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
There is another mark of those to whom this special revelation of Christ will come, and that is, they do not rest until they obtain it.
You know the story. Their hearts were burning as they came near to the place they were going to, and Christ made as if He were going farther. He put them to the test, and if they had allowed Him quietly to go on, if they had been content with the experience of the burning heart, they would have lost something infinitely better. But they were not content with it. They were not content to go home to the disciples that night and say, "Oh, what a blessed afternoon we have had! What wonderful teaching we have had!" No! The burning heart and the blessed experience just made them say, "Lord, abide with us," and they compelled Him to come in. They insisted He come in.
It always reminds me of the story of Jacob, "I will not let You go, except You bless me." That is the spirit that prepares us for the revelation of Jesus. Oh! my dear friend, has this been the spirit in which we have looked upon the wonderful blessing that we have sometimes heard of? "Oh! my Lord Jesus, though I do not understand it, though I cannot grasp it, though my struggles avail nothing, I am not going to let You go. If it is possible for a sinner on earth to have Jesus every day, every hour, and every moment in resurrection power dwelling in his heart, shining within him, filling him with love and joy--if that is possible, I want it."
Is that your language? Oh! come then and say: "Lord Jesus, I cannot let You go except You bless me." The question is asked so often: "What is the cause of the feeble life of so many Christians?" What is really the matter? What is actually the want?
*Dig deeper: Read Genesis 32. What points of this story remind you of incidents in your life when you were afraid? How can you follow Jacob’s example the next time you face such fear? What was Jacob’s price, and what price are you willing to pay for God to bless you?