They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
There are some foods I love, and they love me right back —over and over. They keep revisiting my throat. I’d be wise to avoid them. But temptation takes over. I decide, because of the aroma, the initial taste sliding down my tongue, all the memories associated with that food, or because everyone else at the table is devouring it, it is worth the chance. Until the reflux hits. Ugh. Then I groan, “Why did I eat that?”
In my spiritual life, I get heart-burn as well. Something I said or did refluxes back up into my thoughts. Perhaps it was because I swallowed an emotion down too quickly without taking the time to digest it properly, i.e., give it to God to handle. Instead, I let it slide down my gullet and land like a stone in my soul. Low and behold, it will keep returning to my mind, stirring up fresh emotions like a cow chewing its cud. I may have angers, jealousies, or hurts buried so deep I have chosen to ignore them. Something will happen to trigger that memory, and up they come – burning my heart. Swallowing them back down will do no good. They block me from savoring God’s goodness in my life – leaving a bitter taste in my mouth instead. No matter how much I try to ease the pain or coat it over with the antacids of this world, it will not be the cure I need, just a temporary fix.
Odd, but true, I want God’s Scripture to give me true heart-burn. That way, even though momentarily uncomfortable, that convicting reflux can be the catalyst to cure my doubts, fears and hurts over a situation or a person, or deal with a lack of faith area in my life. Then I can finally get it out of my system. The devil can no longer coax me to have an appetite for that hurt or jealousy again. I can push it away and say, “No thanks. It is God’s Word I am hungry for instead.” Food for thought.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
