The other day I received an email from a lady who wants to schedule some yoga classes in our community clubhouse. At the bottom of the email, where you or I might say “Yours Truly or Sincerely, she wrote “Namaste.” Now some of you might know what that means, but I did not. So, I went to Google to look it up and found that Namaste is something that is said at the end of a yoga class as you put your hands together and bow. Literally it means “I bow to you” Bowing forward as you say it underscores the depth and sincerity behind the term. “When you do this, you’re surrendering your head to your heart.” I went on to read and basically at least the writer of this post believed that it was more important to think and move from your heart (emotions) than it is from your mind or reasoning power. 

The Bible recognizes the importance of the heart in our faith. Paul says in Romans 10:10 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified.” But the Bible recognizes the importance of our minds. Just two chapters later Paul writes, “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Both are of equal importance and should be incorporated in our Christian life if we expect to live fully effective as Christians. 

Without Spirit led emotions we will become rigid Pharisees rather than the loving Christ followers we need to be. Our concern for form and law will outweigh our concern for people. Without allowing our minds to be renewed and studying the Scripture as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11) we can be deceived by those who twist the truth for their own gain. The consistent biblical teaching is that we employ both of these God gifts to help us in our daily lives.  But there is also a third area of the human psych that we need to employ and that is our will. The will is just as important to being effective in the Christian life as the heart or mind. And the issue for most of us, it is the least used and recognized. We come to church and are moved in our hearts through worship. Our minds are integrated through the sermon and the Bible Study. But where do we put the will to use?  Well, the will is to be used not so much in the church (of course those of you who struggle to stay awake during the sermon may find cause argue) but it is to help us practice what we study in the Bible and what the Spirit moves our heart to do. It is the will that brings the inspiration into initiative.  We need to remind ourselves that the Christian life isn’t lived by inspiration. We don’t wait for the moment to arrive in which we feel like doing right, or to study just for the sake of knowing something, put your will into play as well.  Is there something you’ve been putting off while you wait for the right inspiration? Try perspiration instead.  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.