PROVERBS 23:26 – My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE GREATEST GIFT WE GIVE TO GOD. The Old Testament book of Proverbs is a group of wise sayings largely set forth as instructions from a father to his son. In most cases, it is King Solomon to his son. The language throughout covers a wide spectrum. There are stern warnings, passionate pleas, insightful counsels, and heartfelt exhortations. Today’s scripture is one of those cries from the heart. One may easily picture a wise father who has learned a lot about life through the “school of hard knocks and failings” and is eager to pass down to his son those valuable lessons. I can see a dad taking a walk with his boy and the dialogue going something like this, “Son, let’s have a heart-to- heart talk. I know you are growing up fast. You have dreams and goals. I did too, but, my boy, life is hard. Temptations are many. Give me your heart for a moment. Let me give you some advice from a guy that has been around the block a time or two.”
A far greater heart-to-heart conversation exists. It is God to us. Take today’s scripture and make it personal between us and our God. Substitute our names in the context – “(Our name), give me (God) your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” This is really the invitation of the Lord to us in salvation and beyond. He extends His Gospel to us with the promise of a new heart, a new purpose in life, and a sure hope for the future. But there is more. The cry of God to each of His children is daily – “My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” And to give our hearts to God daily is the greatest gift we may give Him. As we think on this, here are two reasons why giving the Lord all we are – our affections, minds, and wills – which is the definition of “heart” is the greatest thing we may give Him.
First, giving God our hearts is the greatest thing we may do because it is a sign of love. When we give our hearts away to someone, we are saying, “I love you. I am committed to you.” In a marriage, this is the “great exchange”; we give our hearts to our spouses as the highest expression of our love. As we do, we say, “I am yours. You are mine.” And is that not the design of the Gospel – God providing His Son for our salvation so we may, from the heart, obey the greatest command – “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:36-37)? Start thinking about the Gospel in terms of God saying, “Give me your heart so I may give you a new heart; one that seeks to love me with all that new heart. In doing so, it will keep afresh the relationship between God and us because it is a relationship of heart-to-heart love.
Next, by choosing to give God our hearts, we are saying, not only “I love you, God”, but “I want to follow you all the days of my life to prove my love to you.” Notice what King Solomon wrote after the exhortation for his son to give him his heart – and let your eyes observe my ways. This was not merely instruction to observe dad’s life, but to follow dad’s counsel. And to prove our love for God, we are to obey His Word. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Here is where life’s purpose unfolds for us. Here is where life finds meaning; to love God by surrendering our hearts to God and then validating that surrender by doing what He commands.
God gives us so many gifts, and in return, we may give Him nothing more precious to Him than our hearts. May the realization of what He has given to us move us to give Him what He desires most from us – our hearts.
PRAYER: “Father, take my heart and let it be, totally given over to thee.”
QUOTE: “Since God’s heart is so on us, it only makes sense our hearts should be wholly His.”