PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT

Psalm 119:9-11

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Today let's put our hearts to work for the Lord. If we desire to find ourselves in a closer relationship with the Lord, then we must put our hearts to work. Believers, we cheat ourselves when we give a half-hearted effort. The Psalmist says, “With my whole heart I seek you.” By seeking with our whole hearts, we are strengthened to keep his commandments. If God evades us, perhaps the issue is that we have not sought him with our whole hearts. Maybe we only look for him in our time of trouble. In those moments, he may sometimes seem distant. However, if we only seek the Lord in moments of crisis, then perhaps we have become half-hearted. I suspect that whole-hearted seekers stand nearer to God because they are consistently moving towards him. A half-effort only takes us halfway. Thus, our heart is halfway there. Do you not want to be nearer to the Lord? Believer, I think you would agree that we should strive to get closer so that he is within better reach.

The half-hearted tends to drift into a sea of uncertainty. The whole-hearted believer does not wait for trouble to arrive because they are concerned about the purity of their soul. The whole-hearted seeker leans upon the master because they see God as the source of living and not simply a rescuer. The whole-hearted seeker is just as concerned about sin as they are about being saved. The Psalmist says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” And so, he stores up God’s word to strengthen his heart to fight against the influence and power of sin. So do not be half-hearted Christians! Keep in mind that there is more room for sin to creep in and reak havoc if too much distance remains between our Lord and his people. As you reflect upon this text, ask yourself: Have I sought the Lord with my whole heart? Today let's close the distance by seeking the Lord with our whole hearts.

Blessings!

Rev. Dr. Timothy Martin