A Whole Heart

womansheart.org

Is there anything worse than giving love without getting love back?

While we are to offer love without reservation and without the expectation of anything in return, to give without receiving is a painful thing.

It's hard to imagine that even God would feel such pain. He gives—abundantly and without reservation—but often doesn't get a whole lot in return.

As Moses continues to instruct the nation of Israel as it anticipates finally going into the land that God had promised to Abraham, he gets down to matters of the heart.

"Circumcise your heart…" (Deuteronomy 10:16, NIV).

The Israelites were familiar with circumcision. It was that permanent physical sign of the covenant they had made with God. The truth was that it meant nothing unless the heart of the person who bore the mark was committed to the covenant that the mark represented.

Perhaps a modern day example can be found in many church directories or on most church membership rolls. Names appear of people who, as far as participation and engagement in the life of the community is concerned, don't exist. Of course there are some who for reasons of ill-health can't be present. But there are more who simply choose not to be—even though they insist on having their names appear.

What's the point?

Moses surrounds this commandment with a half dozen different reasons why the hearts of the people needed to be engaged in the relationship that existed between them and God.  Who He is (10:14, 17, 18, 21, 22) and what He has done merited much more than simply a physical mark.

And what does heart engagement look like? Moses answers that question in verses 12 and 13.

"And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commandments and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?"

When a heart transplant takes place, the WHOLE heart is given, not just a piece. So it is in the spiritual realm. It's all or it's pointless.