HAVE A HEART FOR GOD

By Jerome Lucas

Have you ever heard the expression, he or she ‘has heart’? Well, there are two ways of looking at heart. One way is to look at it is from man’s point of view. The other is of course God’s. Man’s point of view may consider emotions and feelings and our need to look good. God’s perspective, however, teaches us the truth regarding our hearts.

God is very interested in our hearts. Psalm 119:2 says, “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart.” Not only does he want our heart, he wants our whole heart. God says happy are they who keep or obey his Word and seek him with the whole heart.

To seek a relationship with him with your whole heart – this is the true meaning of Christianity.

God’s original plan for man was to have a relationship with him. God is still seeking men and women today for the very same purpose. In this day and time, this relationship is through Jesus Christ.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

There are many areas in life where we fail to seek God’s guidance and instead pursue our own agenda. But God wants our complete attention in all areas of life. We have to seek him, pursue him, involve him in all that we do.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:3)

David’s eyes were focused upward. He expected to get his direction and answers from God. In verse 8, he asks, “Lead me Oh Lord in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make my way straight before my face.” He prayed that God might make his path in life level and

straight, so he would know clearly where to walk. How important is it to have clarity when walking – to see where you are going. If you cannot see where you are going, do you walk with confidence? I don’t think so! You walk with hesitancy because you are not sure where you are going.

David was the example that God used to describe a man after his own heart.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22)

David sought God with his heart. David had a very personal relationship with God. He is one of our best examples of someone who sought God with his whole heart. David praised God with his whole heart.

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. (Psalm 9:1)

The heart that is not directed toward God is deceitful, desperately wicked. Unless it is directed toward God, it will follow its own agenda.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

To put your trust in anything but God - to trust in your job, your relationships, your life - is to have a heart that departs from the Lord. It is simply one way or the other. God is always with those that seek him diligently with their whole heart. When you give God your whole heart, you will be able to observe his ways.

My son, give me thine heart and let thine eyes observe my ways. (Proverbs 23:26)

The Old Testament is full of examples for all that want to seek God. It shows many times how man’s heart without God is deceitful and desperately wicked. Remember, we are talking about God’s own people. If our heart is not fixed on him, it will lead to a lifestyle of failure.

Asa in his day sought the Lord with a great heart and took away much idolatry from the land during his reign. As a result God gave him rest.

For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images and the kingdom was quiet before him. (2 Chronicles 14:3-5)

If God gives you rest, no one can take it away.

And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years: because the Lord had given him rest. Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. (vv. 6-7)

Asa sought the Lord and God gave him rest on every side and he prospered. Asa cried unto the Lord when the odds were against him.

And Asa cried unto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, Oh Lord our God: for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude, O Lord thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. (v. 11)

His heart was fixed on God. His cry was “we rest in thee and in thy name we go against this multitude.” This is the basis of the relationship he had with God; his battle was God’s battle. He didn’t cry to his friends, he didn’t complain to his wife, he didn’t tell his subjects to sort it out. He turned to God and cried out to God, who is the only one who can help where it counts in life.

Nobody else can develop the relationship you have with God but you. Asa encouraged many of God’s people to seek the Lord with all their hearts.

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; (2 Chronicles 15:12)

The blessed result is the same for all who follow his example. The Lord gave the people rest.

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire: and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about. (v. 15)

He was found of them. Isn’t that everyone’s cry, to find God? He was found of them and they found their peace, their sanctuary. The Lord gave them rest round about. Is this not what we all want, to have rest on every side?

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The Lord will guide and direct you. Be diligent and obey his commandments. Have a heart, have a heart for God.

From the March 2002 issue of The Vine & Branches