"My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe (delight in) my ways." (Proverbs 23:26)
This is Solomon talking to his son, but it is also our/his Father speaking to all of us.
I cannot think of a "greater" more wonderful command, invitation. "Wait," you may say, "I thought to love the Lord God and your neighbor is the greatest command." I say, If Jesus does not have our hearts, there is no way we can love--------- anyone. In fact, if Jesus does not have my heart, I cannot, well, anything. A wicked heart has only one remedy, surrender.
This is what he is saying to you and me today. You and I are called to surrender, submit, give our hearts to the Living Triune God. Our lives will be miserable failures if we do not. Some may look at people who seem to "have it all," but, my friend, it is only a seem-to life. Never be deceived by what we see. Anyone, I repeat, anyone on the planet who has ever lived, who now lives, or ever will live is nothing if they keep their hearts as their own possession. The Bible says, "The heart is desperately wicked...." That is my heart; that is your heart. When we gave Jesus our hearts, He took, "desperately wicked," hearts and made them righteous in Jesus' Righteousness. Jesus cleansed our hearts in His Precious Blood from all sin. He took stoney, self-serving and self-preserving hearts and made them His Heart (remember the verse which says that David, "had God's Heart"), hence, hearts for others, serving hearts, giving hearts.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God," is what David prayed after he had committed adultery and murder. Only God can, "Create in me a clean heart"; therefore, the wise will respond to His call to, "Give Me your heart," with a, "My heart, Lord, do I give."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for taking a wicked heart and cleaning it for Your purposes. Amen.
*********************
If you want to know what "drives" the US State Dept, go to: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
