A Heart for God

The Bible uses the word "heart" a lot. The ESV uses the terms "heart" or "hearts" over 900 times. And yet, I'm sure you know that it never refers to the internal organ we know as the heart. What, then?

According to Strong's, lêb is the Hebrew word most often translated "heart" and refers to "the feelings, the will, and even the intellect." It might refer to the center of anything, as in "the heart of the seas" (Jonah 2:3). It is the innermost part. In the New Testament, you'll never guess what the word is. The Greek word is kardia, obviously the origin of our English term, "cardio." Again, this refers to "the thoughts or feelings." So the term refers to the innermost part of us that is how we think and feel. (For the sake of numbers, these Hebrew and Greek terms occur over a thousand times in the Bible. If number of entries equates to importance, this must be important.)

We have a little difficulty with this. We typically think of "think," "feel," and "will" as different because, in fact, they are. Sometimes how we feel is in conflict with how we think and so on. So let's see if we can sort this out.

Scripture distinguishes between our outside and our hearts (1 Sam 16:7). The heart guides the mouth (Prov 16:23). Sin is a product of the heart (Mark 7:21). The heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9) and sinful (Prov 22:15). The heart thinks (Matt 9:4; Mark 2:8) and feels. The heart experiences joy (1 Sam 2:1) and sorrow (1 Sam 1:8), rage (2 Kings 6:11) and peace (Col 3:15), selfish ambition (James 3:14) and love (Rom 5:5), and more. Lust in the heart can be adultery (Matt 5:28). You can "lose heart" (Heb 12:3) and "take heart" (John 16:33). The heart desires (Prov 6:25), envies (Prov 23:17), and seeks God (Psa 119:2). The heart contains the conscience (1 Sam 24:5; Acts 2:37) and thus must be guarded (Prov 4:23). Above all else, we are to love God with all our hearts (Matt 22:37). The biblical condition of the heart that is most dangerous is the "hard heart" (Rom 2:5).

As the seat, then, of emotions and thoughts and the will, how does this work? We know these are distinct, but how distinct are they? We tend to think of them as quite different, but I'm convinced (especially from a biblical perspective) that they are quite tightly intertwined, and I think that if we understand this rightly, we can see that. Some people operate on their emotions, letting how they feel determine how they think and what they choose to do. You know ... "Follow your heart." Others are more intellectually motivated, preferring to think rationally rather than operate emotionally. (Note, however, that "think rationally rather than operate emotionally" includes the choices we make.) It is true that we have "inclinations," natural tendency to act a particular way. That's what drives our wills. But aren't those inclinations mostly how we think and how we feel? So perhaps we can see how all three work together -- the mind, the will, and the emotions -- so that each affects the other inextricably.

So when the Scriptures speak of a "hard heart" (Heb 3:7-9) or a "new heart" (Ezek 36:26), it appears that the idea is a change in thinking, feeling, and choosing. To extricate one from all the rest and focus there won't work. We know that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2), but that would be insufficient without a change in how we feel and how we act. Our inclinations -- what drives us to choose -- are primarily based on what we love. Thus, Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). That is, what you love determines what you do. Love Jesus, and you do what He wants. Our loves (emotion) determine our thoughts (mind) and decisions (will). Or, to put it another way, changed hearts make changed lives. It cannot be otherwise.

Scripture describes David as a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). That's the heart we need -- the heart to pursue God's own heart. So what does that mean? If I am to have a heart for God, I will need to be concerned about God's concerns. What is His highest priority? His glory. So my highest priority would need to be His glory. If I am to have a heart for God, my choices (will) and my thinking (mind) and my feelings (emotions) will need to align with His. I will need to love what He loves (e.g., Psa 37:28; John 16:26-27; Heb 12:6; Rom 9:13) and hate what He hates (e.g., Deut 12:31; Psa 5:5; Psa 11:5; Rom 9:13). I must rejoice in what He rejoices (e.g., Zeph 3:17; Luke 15:10) and weep over what He weeps over (e.g., Luke 19:41-44; Gen 6:5-6). I will need to enjoy what He enjoys (e.g., Psa 149:4; Col 3:20) and find abominable what He finds abominable (e.g., Lev 18:22; Deut 7:25; Prov 6:16-19).

But, you see, here there is an interesting shift that occurs. Suddenly the Christian life is not about duty and drudgery. If my heart is after God's heart, that means that what I love is what He loves. That is, I'm not "doing what I have to;" I'm doing what I love. The heart that has deep affections for what God has deep affections for is safeguarded against sin and enveloped in joy. John says, "His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Why? Because when you're doing what you love it is no burden at all; it is a pleasure. A heart after God, then, is in your best interest. It is for your sanctification and your abundant life. It is a lifelong work with a new heart.