Psalm 86:11-13
Let’s come to understand what God is asking us for, and let us respond with wholehearted devotion.
“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. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord, my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.” – Psalm 86:11-13
“purity/unite my heart” – to be united, to designate exclusively, to concentrate
“God, help me. Please heal my heart so that I can worship you.”
Jesus seemed to enjoy being referred to as the “son of David” (last week Matthew 21:15). David was the man God chose, (“a man after God’s heart” 1 Samuel 13:14) to be a king with a heart for the wholehearted worship of God, see 2 Samuel 6:14. The personal relationship between David and God ran hot and cold. David loved God with all his heart for most of his life. It was a heartfelt experience and an example to millions. We read just how passionate and personal it was in David’s cry for God’s forgiveness and restoration, in Psalm 51. At a time when Jesus was bringing about the new covenant agreement between God and all humanity, he could have invoked the name of any of Israel’s kings. Jesus chose David.
Jesus said that God’s most important commandment is: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,” – Mark 12:28-31
Wholehearted – fully or completely sincere, enthusiastic, energetic
“With all your heart”:
Love God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 6:5, 13:3, 30:6, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27
Serve God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 10:12, 11:13, Joshua 22:5, 1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 Samuel 12:20, 24
Search for God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 119:10,
Turn to God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 30:10, 1 Samuel 7:3, 1 Kings 8:48, 2 Kings 23:25,
Give thanks to God with all your heart. Psalm 138:1
Obey God with all your heart. Deuteronomy 30:2, 26:16, 2 Kings 23:3, Psalm 119:34, 69, 1 Kings 2:4, 14:8
Make offerings to God with all your heart. 1 Chronicles 29:9, Heart wholly devoted to God. 1 Kings 15:14
As Jesus followers, let’s come to understand what God is asking us for, and let us respond with wholehearted devotion.
What do we learn?
God has shown us matchless love.
We should love God with all our hearts.
How do we respond?
1. Ask God for help.
“God, help me. Please heal my heart so that I can worship you.”
2. Receive the love of God, repenting as needed.
3. Remove any obstacle to our wholehearted love for God.
4. Love God with all our hearts.