Unite My Heart to Fear Your Name

Posted on 01/27/2012 by goodnewsfromadistantland — Leave a comment

This painting by Winslow Homer reminds me of a ‘united heart.’

The boy at the back of the little boat is sailing the boat. He is focused, challenged, and delighted. He has a united heart to maintain his course and to hold tightly to the sails.

A united heart for Yahuwah Elohim [the Hebrew name for the LORD God] is able to hold steady through the turbulent winds of distractions and temptations. A united heart is intensely focused on the destination of fulfilling Yahuwah’s purposes.

King David prayed for a united heart:

Teach me Your way, O Yahuwah; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11)

King David wanted a united heart for sincere love and devotion for Yahuwah and His holy name. I want that too! But it’s not easy to achieve.

A Treasure

A united heart for Yahuwah is not something we can acquire by running down to the corner market and picking up a package of “United Heart.” I’m learning that a united heart is a treasure to be gained over a life-time. Gaining the treasure of a truly united heart takes prayer and patience. Most importantly however, it takes commitment and determination to love Yahuwah completely, and learn to obey His written Word. It takes a firm commitment to seek the Father, and learn to discern the leading of His Holy Spirit.

Undistracted love and devotion for Father, for His name, and for His Truth is what a united heart is after! The apostle Paul put it this way — forgetting those things which are behind,… I press toward the prize of the high calling of Yahuwah [the LORD] in Messiah Yahushua [Christ Jesus] (Philippians 3:13,14). That statement clarifies the focus of a united heart for Yahuwah — pressing forward to fulfill the calling and purposes that Father has for us.

But, the enemy of our souls has an endless array of turbulent distractions! The psalms of King David reveal a man who struggled with the turbulent winds of distractions, temptations, and persecutions. Yet deep in his heart, he sincerely loved Yahuwah! Because of his passionate love for Yahuwah, David was enabled to maintain his commitment and devotion even through his failures and victories.

King David is an encouragement for me and for all those who long to follow Yahuwah [the LORD] with undistracted devotion. In the midst of all the distractions and discouragements, King David knew the great importance of a united heart that loves and honours Yahuwah and His holy NAME. David kept his heart focused on the invisible, living, Mighty One of Israel. David focused on the things that are not seen — the eternal realm.

The Things Which Are Not Seen

Look unto me [Yahuwah], and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am Elohim [God], and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2Corinthians 4:17)

As these verses teach us, we must be looking to the hidden, eternal realm — looking at the things which are not seen, the things which are eternal! This requires us to BE patient! Sometimes we must simply ‘Stand Still’ — trusting and waiting — waiting for Father’s direction to be revealed to us: “… stand still, and see the salvation (deliverance) of Yahuwah” (Exodus 14:13).

The struggles and afflictions we experience in the natural are working for us in the spiritual, eternal realm while we are looking unto Yahuwah, the King, eternal, immortal, invisible (1Timothy 1:17).

Our trials are working for us an exceeding, and eternal, weight of glory! as the verse in 2Corinthians tells us. But we need to cultivate our patience, and maintain our ‘grip’ — our determined focus on the hidden, unseen, invisible realm.

The ‘United Heart’ Grip

If we will keep our eyes on the unseen realm, where the great cloud of witnesses is cheering us on (Hebrews 12:1-2), then we will be encouraged. Remembering to look to the eternal, everlasting Yahuwah in our moments of weakness helps us! Remembering His promises of love and preservation are as a shield against the enemy! (Psalm 54:4a; Psalm 94:14; Psalm 138:8)

This is the united heart’s grip — to hold tightly to Yahuwah’s written Words, trusting in Him, sometimes moment-by-moment, waiting for His timing for answers, and not creating our own rescue.

It is important for us to keep returning to the entrance of God’s Words [the Bible] in our daily quiet times for comfort and understanding (Psalms 119:130). Keeping His Words before our eyes, speaking His truth to ourselves, and continuing to talk to Father — these small things help us to maintain our grip on His work of transforming us into the image of His Son (Romans 12:2; Romans 8:29).

The transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us will, little by liitle, yield God’s peace that surpasses our understanding (see Philippians 4:6-7). And when we begin to look to Yahuwah alone; when He is our only hope of salvation and deliverance, then our heart is becoming united in trusting Him, in honouring Him, in loving Him — and in fearing His Name.

When we begin to behave and speak with honour and loyalty to Yahuwah’s Truth, His Character, and His Word — in everything we do — then our heart is being transformed! Our prayer for a united heart before God is beginning to be fulfilled!

“But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of Yahuwah [the LORD] as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of Yahuwah [the LORD].” — 2Corinthians 3:18

By God’s grace and mercy, HE enables us to hold tightly to our focus, to our faith, even in the midst of turbulence and troubles: For it is God which works in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

When we look to Yahuwah for His strength and guidance, then He works within us to give us a united heart that trembles to stray from Him. A united heart will not turn aside from God’s Word and His truth!

Yahuwah is Looking!

Father loves us and wants to guide us into the plans He has for us. He wants to show Himself strong on our behalf:

For the eyes of Yahuwah [the LORD] run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. (2Chronicles 16:9)

The above Scripture teaches us that Father is looking too! He is looking earnestly for those who have a heart fully turned toward Him. He is looking for the ‘united heart’ — the one who is surrendered to God, dedicated and strongly devoted to loving Him and following Him! Father God is waiting patiently for the precious fruit of a united heart that yearns to please Him in every way (James 5:7).

Yahuwah’s Mercies Are New Every Morning!

We all know that every day we face a new set of struggles and distractions. But the morning time is Father’s merciful opportunity for us to begin afresh. As the prophet Jeremiah tells us, Yahuwah’s mercies are new every morning!!

The steadfast love of Yahuwah never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. (Lamentation 3:22-23)

Every day, we re-commit ourselves to loving our Father, acknowledging our need for Him, and seeking Him for a heart that is single, sincere, and united in love and devotion to Him.

As we saw in Joy Cometh In the Morning, the morning is a special time for our joy and our hope to be renewed and strengthened! His joy is imparted to us when we seek to delight ourselves in His Word and in His presence.

“The Scriptures will never really benefit us until we are willing to let them change us!” — Dwight L. Moody

Each day, may it be, that we will call on our heavenly Father, and ask Him, just as King David did:

Teach me Your way, O Yahuwah; I will walk in Your truth;
unite my heart to fear Your name!

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