Journeying with God

The last chapter of Pilgrim Heart is about the ongoing journey. Tippens wants to make sure that we understand the meaning of heart, because it is used so frequently in the bible, and faith has everything to do with the heart. He writes, "Indeed, for Jesus as for all the prophets, the heart of religion is religion of the heart" (199). What he points out is that our current understanding of heart as the source of emotion, and frequently heart is juxtaposed with head which we believe is the seat of thought and reason.

In the biblical world, heart involves both thinking and feeling. I want to share part of one paragraph that I found particularly helpful in understanding the biblical meaning of heart:

But heart, biblically understood, does not separate intellect from feeling. The term includes multiple faculties, including the capacities to plan, think, judge, and choose. It is the zone of "emotion-fused thought," which includes intelligence, mind, wisdom, intention, will, love, sadness, and joy. In this light, if we love the Lord with all our heart, we are doing more than feeling generous thoughts about our Maker. We are committing our will, purposes, inclinations, thoughts, and desires to him (200).

I like very much the term "emotion-fused thought" which he borrowed from Bruce Malina. I read an article recently in either the Globe or the New York Times about how researchers are discovering that emotions are intricately involved in thought.

The journey of the heart is ultimately about love. He writes, "What is required is not perfection but a willingness to love. Without love, there is no healing or life. Loving others is the supreme spiritual practice" (203).

I can't say enough good things about this book. I used it as a devotional book and read half a chapter each morning. It's one of the best that I have used. If you're looking for a book that will help you grow as a disciple, I highly recommend it.