Into my heart

Have you ever heard of Harry D. Clarke’s hymn, ‘Into my heart.’ I have known that song since very young. In fact we sang it multiple times a week in my grammar school. I loved visiting the chapel; though it always seemed a mysterious place to me where God abided. I always was in awe when I went in there for morning assembly, the window panes were stained rich green red and yellow colors. The images of Jesus were etched into the glass. These images would take your breath away. I always sang that hymn with my heart; literally meaning it. I sang those lyrics as the child I was. Not fully understanding what I was singing.

Now I do. You can’t sing the first stanza without the second; and yet they are both powerful independently; and even more so together. The first stanza goes –

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus,
Come in today, come in to stay,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

The second goes…

Shine out of my heart, out my heart,
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus,
Shine out today, shine out always,
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.

I have always remembered the first; and never paid much attention to the second stanza. I asked my husband about the second stanza, and he could not remember it either. And then it occurred to me that many people were not familiar with the second stanza either. We were always after Jesus coming into our heart. Yes He will come if we ask Him. He will come if we desire Him. He will come if we make room for Him. However I feel in time past that I had not adequately paid attention to what my responsibility was and is – reflecting Him to the world. That hymn can never be wholly complete with just the first stanza. The completion does come when the shinning begins. It happens when we illuminate our worlds, our workplace, our neighborhood with Jesus who has come into our heart. That must have been Harry D. Clarke’s experience; Jesus came to him and he in turn reflected Jesus. What a great responsibility we possess.

I cannot simply be satisfied with Jesus coming into my heart. I must not only receive Him, I must reflect Him. That is when all becomes full circle. Yes, a totally enriched life.

I pray you have these 2 stanzas fully functioning in your life in Jesus’ name.

Linda Faith

Linda faith is the Editor in Chief of Jewels Magazine. She co-pastors along with her husband Revival Worship Church, Tampa. She is a prolific writer and powerful speaker, inspiring many women to be all God has called them to be. She is the founder of Joy Women’s conference which reaches out to empower, inspire and motivate women in their faith walk. She was a software developer before she started writing.
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