"Paul Swala was in prison in Zambia. He was charged with treason. He was accused of being involved in a coup to overthrow the government. While in prison he did Alpha. He encountered Jesus and cried out for God to save him. Extraordinarily, he was the only one of the group of sixty accused who was acquitted. Three years ago, during Alpha International Week, his face radiated the joy of the Lord. He told us how, as Alpha Prisons’ Coordinator for Zambia, he has now been into every prison in Zambia sharing the good news about Jesus Christ and how, even in the direst of situations, Jesus can bring hope. God has filled his heart with joy.
The word ‘heart’ appears in all the passages for today. In fact, it is used seventeen times in total. It is used in these passages to mean everything that is going on inside of us. When we think of the heart we tend to associate it with emotions. The Hebrew understanding was wider than that. It included the emotions, but it also involved the mind, the conscience and the will.
Only God sees and knows the hearts of every human being (1 Kings 8:39). In the passages for today, we learn about how God sees our hearts, and fills them with joy – even in the most unlikely circumstances.
Proverbs 15:11-20
Your face reflects your heart
Some people’s faces radiate love and joy. Their smile puts us at ease and cheers us up. Others may have a rather more sour expression on their face and can make us feel very uncomfortable.
Our face often reflects our heart. ‘A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit’ (v.13). I remember a good friend of ours, Michael Coates (now in his eighties), saying that the life we have lived eventually shows on our face and, therefore, everybody over forty is responsible for their face!
Even where you manage to hide your heart from those around you, God can still see it. ‘Even hell holds no secrets from God – do you think he can’t read human hearts?’ (v.11, MSG).
God is interested in your heart. This passage gives some wise advice on how you can feed your heart. ‘The discerning heart seeks knowledge’ (v.14). ‘A cheerful heart fills the day with song’ (v.15b, MSG). The writer gives an example of how the inside is so much more important than the outside. ‘Better a bread crust shared in love than a slab of prime rib served in hate’ (v.17, MSG). Love and friendship are what make an evening fun. The quality of the food is of lesser importance.
Thank you, Lord, that you see beyond the outward appearance into my heart. Through your Spirit within me, fill my heart with joy. May my face reflect the love and joy you put in my heart and bring encouragement and confidence to everyone I encounter."
1. Thank You for the joy You give even in the most unlikely circumstances.
2. Thank You that I can breathe my heart out. But Lord guard my heart and my words because I may go overboard.
3. Thank You for this emotional test that I may draw myself to You more.
