If the truth be known, I made a major mistake when I answered Jesus’ knock on the door of my life some years ago. I opened the door alright. I let Him come in – well, partly anyway. But I did not throw myself into His embrace, and I most certainly did not allow Him to capture my heart. I did everything but let Him capture my heart, as a matter of fact. And I did everything but throw myself into His embrace. In fact, I was too busy holding my arms around my heart in “self-protection”, and too busy embracing my old life to fully let Him in – to say the least.
How so? Let me give you a clear example. Just because you meet, or encounter, someone does not mean you get to know him or her. Just because you invite someone into your house for a meal doesn’t mean you share anything more than a meal. Just because you are introduced to someone doesn’t mean you take the time to get to know him or her. Just because you start in the direction of developing a relationship with someone doesn’t mean you do anything more than begin a relationship – if you begin it at all.
The day I was saved through faith in Jesus Christ was not the beginning of an amazing journey with the Lord for me. Sure, I was saved. But in many ways it was a false start. Why? I made the grave error that I have seen countless others make. I did not let Jesus capture my heart. I did not become a disciple, or a student, of His. I did not follow up my initial encounter with Him by getting to know Him.
Quite simply, I did not delve into the Bible. I did not find a church. I did not get a pastor. I did not immerse myself in the Body of Christ. Most importantly of all, I did not enter into an intimate relationship with Him. I merely met Him. I merely opened the door and let Him in. And that was that. I held on for dear life to my old life, and quite frankly I didn’t know any better. Without the Bible, a church, a pastor, the Body of Christ, and the desire for and pursuit of a deeply personal relationship with Him, I was the same woman living the same live with the same heart that Jesus didn’t even stand a chance of capturing.
In all honesty, I can’t remember virtually anything at all about the game Capture the Flag. Nor can I say why when I have been so exhausted I woke up at 3am with Capture the Flag in my memory or writing this piece on my heart. When was the last time I even thought of the game Capture the Flag? I don’t recall. But I do know this.
Jesus has captured my heart. Because all these years later, I can definitively say that I study and apply the Bible to my life, I have found churches and gotten pastors, I am deeply immersed in the Body of Christ, I have an intimate relationship with the Lord, and I am not merely a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I am a full-fledged, devoted, dedicated, committed, lover and follower of Jesus Christ – the one who truly in every way imaginable has captured my heart. My heart is His. My life is His.
This is not a game called Capture the Flag. This is my life. And Jesus Christ has captured my heart.
Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Luk 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”