Tender Heart

Today, we begin our second step through the final mile, before we come to Resurrection Sunday. We are here praising and giving rich thanks, with tender, submissive hearts.

We too can say, with Charlotte Barnard, the nineteenth century hymn writer, these words;

Saviour, while my heart is tender, I would yield that heart to Thee; All my powers to Thee surrender, Thine, and only Thine, to be.

Like all the palm-waving, praise-shouting people on that first Palm Sunday, we have an example of hearts that are tender, youthful hearts. Our mission of publishing and lifting high a banner showing Jesus, comes today from the tender heart, the youthful heart.

I must confess that when I was sent to the verse of the hymn, previously quoted, I said to Jesus that this is not for me, for I am no young person. He quickly removed me from my dead ignorance and filled me with youthful joy and energy of spirit, when He reminded me of His words. Happy is everyone who does not fall away on account of me. I heard instantly. Have you also heard? Then we know that what makes a tender heart is not one’s chronological age, but one’s spiritual age.

• It is the heart that hears about Jesus coming into your place and becoming immediately filled with youthful, beautiful, sweet joy, which brings excitement to one’s life.

• It is the heart so filled with the joy of the Lord, it is constrained to yield itself entirely to Him.

• It is the heart that is unashamed to let the world know that Jesus is your Lord and King.

• It is the heart whose banner shows that the praise bearing, branch waving person, has left behind all worries, doubts, shame, pressures and anxieties, to publish a banner of truth about Jesus Christ.

• It is the heart, always looking up to Jesus and receiving His fresh, new blessing with each new morning, witnessing to the trusted promises of Jesus.

What is the condition of your heart, on this second day of Holy week? If indeed it is a tender heart, then someone today will see Christ Jesus lifted high in you.

Hosanna! Praise be to Jesus!

With five more Holy Week days to go, five-seventh of the final mile, we lift tender hearts to Jesus.