In 1 Chronicles, David gives his son, Solomon, a charge to build the temple for God. He begins, "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for YHWH searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever" (1 Chron 28:9). There's a lot there, but the thing that caught my eye this time was the phrase, "whole heart." Apparently, David was concerned that Solomon would only use the left ventricle. Well, no, of course that's not what he meant. So ... what does it mean to love and serve God with your "whole heart"?
We have an expression. "Don't do it halfheartedly." Obviously that's the converse of "wholeheartedly." God commanded His people, "Love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deut 6:5). "All your heart." We're told to love Him with all our heart, serve Him with all our heart (Deut 10:12), seek Him with all our heart (Deut 4:29; Jer 29:13), trust Him with all our heart (Prov 3:5), and more. What does that mean? It means without distraction, without mixed allegiance. It means with all of self. We know that the human heart is deceptive (Jer 17:9), so we need to garner our hearts, guarding them with the truth, and we need to hand over all of self to Him. This, we are told, is the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37). Without mixing. Without mixed allegiances. Without distraction.
We're humans with defective hearts that need mending, even replacement. And He promises to do that (Ezek 11:19; 36:26). But we are also told, "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit" (Ezek 18:31). So, it's a gift that we wear, as it were. A gift we put on and tend to. What is the diversion, the mixed allegiance that is the problem? "All your transgressions." It's a lifelong process and it won't end this side of heaven, but it's not something we can ignore or be lackadaisical about. Love the Lord your God with all your heart ... starting now.
2 comments:
That “half-heartedness” sounds a lot like the “double-minded man” of James 1:8, with a wavering and unstable faith and with perhaps one foot planted in this world and the other in the next life (metaphorically). May I “set [my] mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2) and live as one 100% devoted to the One who holds my heart in His Hands. (Lots of different body parts mentioned in this comment, especially when I add the “In His Arms” of yesterday. :-D)
Lord, I love You. Forgive my lack of love.
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