Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Hold People in Your Heart!

Dear Friend,

Of all the marvelous words the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, among the most meaningful to them must have been “I hold you in my heart!”

To hold you in my heart, have you in my heart is not passive, it’s highly active!

There are countless people you have met, known and know, who reside somewhere in your mind. You think of them when something sparks a memory, but I would suggest that to hold them in your heart is to go beyond remembering them!

If I say, "Marty is in my heart but I never think of Marty, never connect with Marty, rarely pray for Marty", then perhaps Marty is in my heart but in a passive mental filing cabinet sort of way.  

To hold you in my heart is active. Its to be aware of you, to pray for you, to love you in every appropriate way. It’s to pray for you, that it is well with you and more significantly, to pray that you and Jesus are close to one another.

You get this from God’s perspective if you substitute the word “heart” for the word “hand” in this marvelous word of Jesus: no one will snatch them (my sheep) out of my hand (heart). My Father, who has given them to me,^[ is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand (heart) John 10:28-29

Jesus and God the Father hold you firmly in their hearts – go and do likewise for the people God gives you - while being glad and grateful for the people who hold you in their hearts!

Joy to you – Stan    

Listen to the podcast to learn more of what means to hope people in your heart!

© Copyright 2023 E. Stanley Ott

Scripture from the ESV

1. Who are the people you hold in your heart? You may uses the  mnemonic FRANC as a way
2. What does it mean to you that "holding" someone in your heart is ACTIVE - in terms of specific behaviors - such as connecting with them, praying for them, encouraging them, loving them in every appropriate way?
3. How will you improve yourself in the way you hold people in your heart - and don't forget to be glad and grateful for the people who hold you in their hearts!

Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay