The Heartbeat of Christ

         There is only one man recorded in the Word that had the liberty to hear the very heartbeat of Christ Himself. The man that was granted such an amazing experience was one of His disciples, John the Beloved.  Now take a moment to really think about how this looked? Why he did it? What did others think when he did it? What did he hear? How did Jesus feel when John laid his head humbly on His chest? In modern society just the very thought or sight of a man laying his head on another’s chest to hear His heartbeat would make most cringe with uncomforting feelings . Society has perverted the very beauty of such a thing that occurred. Wouldn’t you jump at the chance to lay your ear upon Christ’s chest? John was so in love with Christ that he longed to hear the very rhythm of the center of Christ that pumped life throughout His body. Just image how it would be to hear the very heart that was pumping out the blood that was poured out for our salvation. The very thought of being privileged to experience the sound of His heartbeat makes me tingle with excitement and filled with overwhelming love all in the same moment.  I fight back tears even as I write this thinking of the incremental thumps against my ear of the heart of the very One who loves me more than life itself. When I close my eyes I can go to that very scene at the dinner table and instead of John it is I that is lying on His chest.  I can feel His chest rise up in down with each breath.  I can hear the soft breeze of air pour from His nostrils as I get in that place of intimacy with him. I can sense nobody’s eyes on me except for the pair that matter, as they burn with desire for me. Sorry I was getting so drawn in by this reality I had to stop writing for a moment because, this was becoming so very real to me as if I was inscribed in the very pages of this story. I believe John heard what any of us would hear when we hear the heartbeat of a human, just a beautiful rhythm that beats with a melody. I am sure it meant more to John than just a rhythm, but the fact that he loved Jesus so much that he longed to hear His heart. I can tell you that as I got lost in the visual journey of this story His heartbeat seemed to pour out an ever enthralling love. When my head hit His chest I was overtaken by His love and manifest presence. I could feel Him in the very room. It was like He was sitting on the bed right next to me as I am writing this. I am sure Jesus was overwhelmed that one of His disciples loved Him enough to humble himself before others just to show affection to the Savior of all. He was probably so captivated by John at that moment knowing that at one time He would get to be the Bridegroom to the Bride.  His eyes were probably burning then as they are today. Jesus’s eyes burn like fire (Revelation 1:14) with a burning passion of desire for us, yearning to have an intimate and holy union with us. I know that when I allowed myself to imagine this story and to make it personal that He was just a pleased with me laying my head on His chest as He was with John the Beloved. I can see His countenance of joy and delight as I long to hear His beat with a love song. The other disciples may have not understood why John did such a thing and possibly judged him for doing so. They may have even scoffed at such an antic, and mocked him amongst each other. I am sure that some that read this will mock the very idea of me placing myself in John’s shoes, and allowing myself to get lost in such visualization. Persecution cannot bother me as long as I am in the love place with Christ. The only way others can affect me is when I allow my head to be removed from the very bosom of Christ, and start to listen to the cluttered heartbeat of the world. We have the very opportunity to hear the heartbeat of Christ everyday as it beats a melody not only in our heart, but in our spirit as well.  Since Christ dwells within us so does His very heartbeat (Colossians 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist). If we allow ourselves to tap into the reality that we are Christ in the spirit as we are ourselves in the flesh we would be able to tap into His very heart, thoughts, desires, dreams, and words.

John 13:23-26

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Leaning-Intensely/To lie outstretched/Commit/Kneel Down/ Purpose/Abide/Covenant

Bosom-Creek (Which water flows) (He laid himself on the place that love flowed from)

Creek- A natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

Loved-To breath after/ To Befriend/Desire/Delight in/To take for oneself/Passion/Fierceness/ Have affection for

         When John leaned His head of Jesus’ bosom he did it with intensity for love for Him. John had the revelation of burning desire of love for Jesus as He did for John. John saw Jesus as the Bridegroom and him as the Bride. He outstretched himself before Jesus in full surrender and humbled himself before Him. He committed his life and love to Christ. He purposed in His heart to love Him. He made the decision to abide in Him and in doing so allowed Christ to abide in him as well. There was a unifying of the marriage through the simple act of longing to hear His heartbeat. In that moment Christ made a covenant with Him. John received the promises of God at this moment.

         John laid His head on His bosom or creek where His love and blood flowed from. John wanted to hear where His covenant and love came from. He was listening to God’s very Word by just hearing His heartbeat.  Out of the center of his very being is where the living Word is. In the flesh John got to hear the heartbeat of Christ, but in the Spirit he heard the living Word, the testimony of Christ, and the life source to all humanity. His heart beats as a melodic song of love for each of us.

         In turn Jesus panted after John. John was a friend of the Bridegroom at this moment. Jesus desired to be with John, He delighted in Him, He took John for Himself only, He had a burning passion with great fierceness for John, and had much affection for Him. When we give ourselves to Christ He does everything He did with John with us. He longs for us to be His friend, and the only one in His heart. He burns for us with passion and fierceness. He is a jealous God of love.

24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

         I think it was interesting that they asked John the one who laid His head on Jesus’ chest who was the one who was going to betray Him. They did not directly ask Jesus Himself, but had the one who was in the intimate place with God ask Him the question.  They asked John, because He was a friend of the Bridegroom at that moment. John came into covenant with God when he lay prostrate on His heart.  When we subject ourselves to get in the place of hearing God’s heartbeat people are drawn to the passion that you have for God. Often they grow inquisitive and want to know what God has been telling you.  The more knowledge you have of God, and the closer your relationship grows in Him the more opportunity you have to mentor. Each step closer to God comes more responsibility not only for the fact that you are held accountable for what you know, but the fact that now there are people that you can hold accountable.

25 Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"

Breast- It means the same thing that leaning meant in verse 23. Tithimi in Jewish.  Intensely/To lie outstretched/Commit/Kneel Down/ Purpose/Abide/Covenant

         Jesus always answers us when we ask Him a question, because of His burning passion for us. John laid his head back down on His heart and asked God the question in the secret place with Him. He reminded Jesus of His covenant with him when he leaned his head back on His bosom. He was like remember the covenant You made with us out of the place of love. John was asking what was on His heart. He wanted to know what He knew, and feel what He felt.  Since He abided in John and John in Him, John used his Spirit man to ask God who would betray Him. This is the perfect picture of the Bride and Bridegroom experience. We are to abide in each other in unity, and communicate to each other. John asks the question and Jesus answers. Jesus keeps the covenant that He has with John and John keeps the covenant that he has with Jesus. This is astounding that John understood the covenant with Christ and the reality of Him, and walked as a friend of the Bridegroom even before Christ died.

26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

                It is an hour that we become as John the Beloved, and lay ourselves prostrate on His chest to hear what God is speaking. We should not come to Him just to get an answer, but come to Him because of our love for Him. Yes, God will answer you if you simply ask, but how close would you get to someone that was too busy asking questions and never took the time to listen.  Allow yourselves to be in a quiet place with God listening to what He has to speak to your heart. Humble yourselves and make the time you spend with God all about Him and not all about you. I promise you that in doing so that not only will your questions be answered, but you will go into a deeper realm of love with Him. Psalms 46:10 says to be still and know that I am God. If you go to Him to hear His heartbeat instead of going with a list of wants a deeper relationship of intimacy will begin to take root. This is something that happens over much time and practice. I have been for the past few weeks incorporating times of prayer with being still and listening to what He has to say. At first I did not hear His voice, but after a week or so in doing this I have had more visions, dreams, and words from God in a shorter period of time than ever before.  I have also increased my time of praying in the spirit which has helped me communicate with God Spirit to spirit. I pray that at some point that my heartbeat and His heartbeat beat simultaneously in perfect unison. This is not to say that at times my heart and desires are the same as His, but I want to be at the point where there is a heart transplant of His heart into mine. I want to be able to feel what He feels, burn for what He burns for, dream what He dreams, and pray what He prays. A relationship with God is based on one very firm foundation, and I believe without it there can be no relationship and that one thing is love. Be encouraged that there is no one set way to communicate with God, to hear His heartbeat, to accrue His intimacy, and to develop a relationship with Him. Each person has their own way of building a relationship with God. Allow yourself to discern what works best for you, and remember no matter how much you do or don’t do God will always be speaking to you it is just a matter of if you are listening or not. Hear the heartbeat of God!

Selah!