Psalm 86:11 (NIV)
Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
What does it look like to have an “undivided heart”? Does that mean you have no interest or involvement in secular movies, music, or books? Does it require you to avoid all earthly entanglements and material possessions? Should you shun spending time with unrepentant sinners because the conversations don’t point to God? The world is pulling at our hearts to “buy this” and “eat that” and “go there” and “experience this new thing” and on and on it goes. That is our reality today….and so it was for David, as well (remember Bathsheba?). Thankfully, he saw his need for some heart repair. Do we see our need for the same?
The reality is, our hearts are pulled in a myriad of different directions every single day. We struggle to balance our needs with those of our family, friends, and employers. We are confronted by the world, the flesh, and the devil on a daily basis and enticed to choose a different path than the one the Lord would have us take (Eph. 2:2-3). We can’t possible have victory in this on our own, which is why this psalm relies solely on the power of God: Teach me your way. Rely on your faithfulness. Give me an undivided heart. David knew his limitations, but he also knew where his hope and strength could be found. Isaiah put it this way:
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint (Is. 40:29-31).
An undivided heart is one that is led by the Lord towards the things of the Lord for the glory of the Lord. It is humble in its self-assessment and broken over its own sin yet uplifted by God’s unfailing and unchanging love. An undivided heart yearns for holiness and pursues peace whenever possible. It does not seek its own good, primarily, but is willing to put others first…and joyfully so. An undivided heart is a heart that molds itself to the demands of its Lord and Master while acknowledging it could never actually do that apart from the grace and power of that same Master. In Jesus’ words, an undivided heart “Loves the Lord with all its heart, soul, mind, and strength and loves its neighbor as itself” (Mth. 22:37).
The British Theologian, Adam Clarke (1762-1832), captured this challenging thought so well when he wrote:
“Join all the purposes, resolutions, and affections of my heart together, to fear and to glorify thy name. This is a most important prayer. A divided heart is a great curse; scattered affections are a miserable plague. When the heart is not at unity with itself, the work of religion cannot go on. Indecision of mind and division of affections mar any work. The heart must be one, that the work may be one. If this be wanting, all is wrong. This is a prayer which becomes the mouth of every Christian.”
May it be so for you and I today, by the power of God through the work of the Holy Spirit and in Jesus’ name. Amen.
