God be in my Heart and in my Thinking

The heart has long been thought of as the seat of the emotions. So this part of the prayer is connecting with our feelings rather than our rational logic. Our feelings are amazingly important as we take in everything that is going on around and within us. Feelings can, of course, be irrational; but thoughts alone with no feelings brought to bear on them become sterile. We would be like computers which can process so many ideas rapidly yet cannot have feelings about them. A person without feelings accompanying their thoughts becomes like Mr Spock in Star Trek – Captain Kirk rightly values his work but often has to tell him about human intuition.

In the debate between science and religion, there could easily be objections to linking hearts to thought. We know that the heart does not and cannot think at all – scientifically it is an organ which pumps blood round the body. Science seeks proof of statements, not least in the debate about the existence of God, and with no verifiable proof available it turns away. “Illogical, Captain”. Staying with space, but real space, Yuri Gagarin was the first person to orbit the earth, and as he did so he remarked that he couldn’t see God up there. Of course, he represented an atheist state, presumably sharing their doctrinal stance, so the news would have been welcomed by his masters below. Yet what we believe about God does not involve a floating being somewhere out there, but a Divine Presence in our lives and surrounding us, whose essence is Love.

The heart may not think but it does make its presence felt at significant times. When we have a great achievement, when we are fearful or sad, when we see something or someone who seems really wonderful to us, the heart beats faster. There are scientific reasons for this but this is our human feeling about things which matter to us. No wonder people have felt – yes, felt – that the heart harbours thoughts. Our human experiences can be described in purely scientific terms, which is very valuable for medical reasons, for example, but the strong thoughts are about our deepest concerns and commitments, or worries and our joys, which truly do set the heart racing. May God be found in all our deepest and most heartfelt thoughts.

The heart has recently been used as a sign of hope and shared sadness/solidarity in the wake of the Coronavirus. The family of Sheila Gompertz, who died recently  – her grand-daughters and husband – designed a yellow heart and have begun a Facebook group which many people have taken up. Dave Gompertz said “Although every day on telly we hear the number of people that have died - these are just numbers that don’t mean that much. But if every family that lost somebody dear put a yellow symbol in their window, on their door or the pavement, people would realise the extent of this personal and national tragedy.”

Yellow Hearts to Remember is a sign of deep feeling and a desire to reach out to others. The thoughts of this family, young and older, can touch all our hearts and souls in this difficult time.

"Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen."

God be in my head, And in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, And in my looking;
God be in my mouth, And in my speaking;
God be in my heart, And in my thinking;
God be at mine end, And at my departing.