S. Psalm 86:11 b "....grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you...."
O. David prays, asking God to give him a pure heart or as the NIV translates it, an "undivided heart." David is known as being a man after God's own heart; yet he himself prays that God would grant him, give him a whole (undivided, pure) heart. He knew that is the way to truly honor God.
A pure or undivided heart is one in which there is nothing else competing for our time, interests, or desire to honor God. We don't get ourselves ":entangled" or "caught up" in other things. Rather, it honors God when we free ourselves from these other things (which can be seemingly good things) that literally "capture" our attention and care."
A. This is an area in my life that I continually need to pray and work on. There are so many things that I find interesting (officiating, leadership, family history, teaching) and yet when I venture into those areas, I find that my spiritual life suffers.
One time I heard Pastor Rick Warren say (I believe he was quoting someone) that if you're burning both ends of the candle then you're not as bright as you think you are."
I'm much more effective when I focus on thing that God has called me to do and be the person He has created me to be.
P. Thank you Father for this Word today. It is wise and true - I desire that you grant me an undivided, pure heart, so that I may honor you. I pray that as well for all those who read this journal and likewise want to have this type of purity before you. In Jesus' name!
