Tenderize My Heart, Lord
Back to “Lord, tenderize my heart for others.” I’m sure it came from my earlier newsfeed scrolling when I saw many of my friends having a really tough start to this new year – the passing away of a loved one, others with Covid AFTER all their shots, other illnesses, automobile and falling accidents.
Each one of those needs, God sees and isn’t surprised at all by the suffering, but His heart is tenderized. Shouldn’t mine be, too? Shouldn’t we be touched by those around us who are in pain because of something gone wrong in their lives? Isn’t that what Jesus meant when He said: “Love your neighbor as you love yourselves”.
How can I love my neighbor if I’m not loving myself? And if I’m loving myself, shouldn’t I be loving others to help relieve their pains as I endeavor to relieve my own. And, demonstrating God’s love to those we call family and friends, is often the easiest to respond to their needs. But what about those we don’t know and those who aren’t the easiest to even consider wanting to love them in any way?
Jesus was the ULTIMATE example of a tenderized heart. He loved by sacrificing His life. His death on the cross made atonement for sin that humanity couldn’t make. Its power brings about forgiveness of sins and allows humans to have a personal relationship with God: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). My weak and flaw-filled attempts to love as He loves seems like an insurmountable mountain to climb. But, doing my best to follow His “love” lead, is a good start.
I know as I sincerely desire to have a tenderized heart for others, that God is nudging me, awakening me to “beat the tar out of the enemy” with a love hammer. And, as the message becomes crystal clear, I plead to Him again: “Tenderize my heart, Lord. Help me to feel as you feel, love as you love, see as You see, speak as You speak. Come and tenderize my heart, Lord. Let me see You as You are and as You want me to be.”
Maybe you’d like to have a love hammer too! We can get one absolutely free when we read and take in and live 1 Corinthians 13’s “Love is” words! And, when and where LOVE IS – splat, crush and squash are the attempts of the enemy to distract us from living LOVE like the Lover of our Soul lives.