A HEART FOR GOD’S WAYS

“My son, GIVE ME YOUR HEART, and let your eyes observe MY WAYS” – Proverbs 23:26

Every Believer in Christ should have a HEART FOR GOD’S WAYS: “My son, GIVE ME YOUR HEART, and let your eyes observe MY WAYS” (Pro.23:26). This implies a heart that cherishes and seeks to know, understand, and walk in God’s Ways. We human beings are often so set in our ideas, traditions, and ways, or so beclouded by our perceived knowledge, that we find it hard to understand and accept God’s Ways. Proverbs 23 is often called the Heart Chapter because it says much about the human heart. First, our lives go in the direction of our hearts:  “For AS HE THINKS IN HIS HEART, SO IS HE” (v7a). Next, it says “Apply your heart to instruction” (v.12a). Furthermore, “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice – indeed, I myself” (v.15). And again, “Do not let your heart envy sinners” (v.17a).

Wisdom to follow God’s Ways starts from the heart: “Hear, my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way” (v.19).  Though Solomon was speaking here, he did so in the name of Wisdom – personified in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). The Lord Himself is therefore saying to us, “My son (or daughter), give me your heart.” This verse of scripture speaks about:

A Relationship:  “My son…”…God, the Creator is the Father of all (Acts 17:28). But there is a deeper and more intimate sense in which He is speaking to His children in Christ: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal.3:26).

A Request: “My son, give me your heart” God is asking us to give Him our hearts, our whole being. The heart signifies the seat of the affections, of wisdom and understanding – the centre of a person’s being. That God seeks for our hearts proves His great love for us. No gift is acceptable to Him until we have given Him our hearts. He will not accept our money, sacrifice, or prayers unless we have first given ourselves: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight” (Pro. 15:8). By the fallen nature, the human heart is evil (Gen. 6:5; 8:21); it is deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9). But in Christ, the heart is transformed to become God’s dwelling place. God longs to have our hearts for four main reasons: to exchange, empower, establish, and enrich our hearts (Ezek. 36: 26-28). 

God wants our hearts in order to exchange them: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze.36:26). He does not offer to patch up the old heart, but removes our unclean, hard, and cold heart, and exchanges it with a heart that is clean, true, tender and warm (2 Cor. 5:17).

God wants to empower our hearts: “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgements and do them” (Eze.36:27). We cannot be moved to know, understand, or follow God’s ways on our own, but He enables us to do so by the indwelling Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit. We cannot live the Christian life by self-effort; but God comes to dwell within us and empowers us to desire and walk in ways that please Him.

God wants to establish our hearts: “Then you shall dwell in the land…” (Eze.36:28a). Our hearts tend to wander, rather than rest, until we encounter Grace: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace…” (Heb.13: 8-9a). Being united with the One who never changes – our Lord Jesus Christ – establishes our hearts.

Finally, God wants to enrich our hearts: “You shall be My people, and I will be your God”” (Eze.36:28b). Beloved, when you give God your heart, He will exchange, empower, establish, and enrich it as a Heart for His Ways!