Psalm 86:11

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;

  Prone to leave the God I love:

Take my heart, oh, take and seal it

  Seal it for Thy courts above.

The lyrics from the hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, always make me sad, because it describes my heart.  Does it describe yours, too?

The heart is a small, muscular organ about the size of your fist that sits in your chest cavity, slightly on the left.  On the day we were born, our heart  had a spiritual defect:  it was wicked and deceitful.  Let’s go through the definitions so there’s no ambiguity:  Wicked:  morally very bad; evil; fierce, vicious; disposed to or marked by mischief.  Deceitful: having a tendency or disposition to deceive or give false impressions: not honest, misleading.

The heart is mentioned almost 1,000 times in the Bible. In essence, the heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell.  Since the heart Is mentioned so frequently, it must be important to God.

Why do our hearts wander from our Creator? How can we make sure that our hearts are aligned to His will?

We can’t say we truly love God and follow Him half-heartedly.  A divided heart is prone to wander.  A heart not fully devoted to God is partially obedient.  And partial obedience is defined as disobedience.

Psalm 86:11-12 (NIV)

Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86:11-12 (NLT)

Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.

Psalm 86 was written by David, described as a man after God’s own heart.  David wasn’t perfect, but he recognized that his devotion to God could wane.

We can get distracted by the ways of the world.  Our devotion and focus on God can wane as well.  How can we make sure we are staying close to Him?

Guard your heart.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”(Proverbs 4:23)

The heart needs boundaries, just like everything else in the Christian life.  Protect your heart. 

Wherever there’s a vacuum, evil can slip in.  Beware of anything that could ruin your testimony and your walk with the Lord.  As followers of Christ, there are some things we are not meant to be part of.  “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”  (Revelation 18:4)

Ask yourself hard questions:  Are you on social media too long?  Are you involved in the hottest trend that everyone is talking about?  Are you consumed by binge watching?  Is there anything taking you away from Godly pursuits, either physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually?

Thomas Watson said:  All the danger is when the world gets into the heart.  The water is useful for sailing of the ship; all the danger is when the water gets into the ship; so the fear is when the world gets into the heart.

Listen to God’s voice, which is heard through His Word.

God magnifies His Word above His Name. (Psalm 138:2)

When God says: “Humble yourself,” humble yourself. (James 4:10)

When God says, “Repent,” repent. (Matthew 3:2)

When God says: “Don’t be hypocritical,” don’t be hypocritical. (Matthew 6:5)

When God says: “Forgive,” forgive. (Matthew 6:15)

When God says: “Worship Me,” worship Him. (Matthew 4:10))

If we are bending, shaping and twisting His Word to fit our circumstances or our lifestyle, He is going to deal with us, and it will not be pleasant.  As Christians, we won’t lose our salvation, but we can put distance between us and God and we can grieve the Holy Spirit.

Take God at His word, and His word is black and white.  He doesn’t stutter. His instructions are very clear.  God sees everything.  He knows everything.  He doesn’t forget.  And just like my old aunt used to say: “Everything will come out in the wash,” meaning that one day God will hold us accountable for our wandering hearts.  (Hebrews 4:13). 

God’s voice is like a “check engine” warning light that alerts you when you’re veering off in the wrong direction, or if you’re being pulled away from the One who loves you.  That voice instructs you on the right path to take and shows you the right thing to do.

Fear God

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Fearing God means to put Him in His right place – always – which is high and lifted up.  It means adding God to every equation of our lives. It means obeying Him at all times and honoring Him at all costs, even when it hurts.  Submit your plans to the Lord first, and then proceed.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)

Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  (Matthew 6:24)

As I began this piece with a song, I want to end it with a chorus from Keith and Kristyn Getty, I Am Not My Own.

[Chorus]

I belong to the Lord

O, I am not my own

I belong to the Lord

I am not my own

I will honor Him, for this I know:

I belong to the Lord

I am not my own

If you are a Christian, your time, your talents and your treasure are no longer yours.  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Jesus Christ is the only Surgeon capable of healing and purifying our hearts so that they conform to His.  God was fully aware of our dark and stony hearts, but He loved us anyway.  Let’s commit our whole heart to Him!

A Prayer

Heavenly Father, God Most High,

You are a faithful, eternal, unchangeable God, who numbers the hairs on our heads and calls the stars by name.  Your plans never fail and Your plan of salvation was accomplished through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Lord, I ask that You examine my heart and strengthen it so that it remains focused on Your will, Your word and Your ways.  Please bring merciful conviction whenever it is out of alignment to You.  I ask these things in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen.