Heart Throb

December 18

In Isaiah 60 it says our heart can throb and swell with joy.  I’ve only heard “throb” and “swell” used in reference to bruises or breaks in the body.

You know the scene: You get up in the middle of the night and run right into the edge of the bed that’s been there for years, leaving a huge bruise and bump on your thigh that throbs and swells.  That’s painful, not joyful!

But it’s interesting that here in this verse it says the heart can throb and swell with joy.  When His love knocks up against our wounded soul it sort of gives us a jolt, like hitting the bed in the dark.  Instead of leaving a bruise, though, the throbbing and the swelling that results is joy.  Say what?

A bruise is visible because blood comes to the surface, and it takes time for that blood to once again absorb into the body and the bruise to disappear.  Jesus’ blood was already poured out a long time ago, so when our heart encounters Him, there’s no blood – no bruise – no bump – because he took care of that already! 

Our heart starts beating faster, we feel something rising and swelling, but wait – it’s something good – it’s joy!

Is your heart swelling with joy?  If not, ask Jesus to bump hard into your soul and see what happens…