AN UNDIVIDED HEART
16th Oct 2013
Why did David pray, “Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name?” (Psalm 86:11) He knew his heart, and how it could be pulled in many directions. Another translation of that same verse says, “Unite my heart to fear your name.”
We all need “undivided hearts” because when we focus our hearts with faith on some critical situation, just when we thought we were totally confident in God’s power and ability to deal with our crisis, fear will rise trying to make us doubt God. It might be a healing battle, a struggle with our finances, or an issue in our family. We know that God is all powerful, that nothing is impossible with Him, we know that He loves us and wants the best for us and yet the battle still rages - faith versus fear.
We need “undivided hearts” because God’s word clearly says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) We know that joy is a gift from our loving Father, and not the result of our circumstances, and yet we can allow sadness and sorrow to fill our hearts and take away strength and lightness of spirit.
We need “undivided hearts” because God has a future for our lives, we are people of destiny and God wants us to look forward with great expectancy. He spoke to his covenant people in Jeremiah 29:11 saying, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” It’s our promise too, however, when we are going through times of difficulty and testing the future seems bleak and we can even feel that God has forgotten us.
The full prayer in Psalm 86:11-12 says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, will all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.”
Make David’s prayer your prayer for today, “Give me an undivided heart?”
by Charles Sibthorpe
