- When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, -
What does it mean to apply your heart to know wisdom? It’s not a phrase we typically use or parts of the body we think about being used together.
We may at times refer to them to say, “My heart and my mind are at peace with this decision.” What exactly are we intimating?
We are showing that not only can we rationally accept the decision, but that it is one our feelings are aligned with as well.
What is interesting about language is it grows more specific over time, e.g. the Hebrew word for wind is the same word for spirit.
Something similar is happening with this word heart. It doesn’t mean just heart. It also means our mind, our center.
What is Solomon saying? He pursued wisdom with every part of his being. His will, intellect, and desires were all pulled together in this pursuit.
Now, given our rational age, I’ve seen a lot of people denigrate their feelings or intuitions. Undoubtedly, our emotions can be misleading!
Now, given our spiritual emptiness, I’ve seen a lot of new age types denigrate their reason. Undoubtedly, our thoughts are not capable of understanding everything!
Is anyone getting a sense of déjà vu?
What am saying? There are two ways people try to live their life without God. In one way, they try to make themselves like God.
They build technological marvels like the Tower of Babel and think by this mastery that they have removed the need for God by becoming Him.
Then there are those who see the restrictions of morality as a cage and wish to live in a communal manner with nature, their spirit, or some other force.
They lose themselves without God’s order and do not know which “spirits” they serve. This is the Hippy movement and seems to be becoming a Gen Z phenomenon as well.
Well, what is a Christian supposed to do? We are to pursue the work God has given us with both our mind and heart in accordance with God’s will.
Why did God give us both? Because there is indeed a purpose for both. It is the heart that binds, yet it can bind to polluted desires.
It is the mind which can hold one’s desires back by rules it knows to be beneficial, yet it can create a false idol of its own self.
The mind can keep the heart on the straight and narrow and the heart can keep one’s affections directed properly.
This is why the greatest commandment is given to us. It commands that the whole person be brought into the proper worship of God.
All of us must be given to the one purpose of serving God. To not love God with one of these pieces of ourselves is to hold that piece of ourselves back from the Bridegroom.
How can you have a successful marriage if you do not give yourself fully to the other person? Will they not sense this? Will not that part of your marriage fail in some way eventually?
Desire to serve with all of you.
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