A Request Filled with Love

The words which we consider are taken from the book of Proverbs. This book was written by King Solomon, who in a special way was endowed with the Spirit of wisdom. How much this wisdom is revealed in the rich proverbs, the hearty instructions, the earnest warnings and the wise lessons for life with which this book is filled and which are so worthy to be taken to heart! In our text he directs himself most lovingly to young people when he says, “My son, give Me thine heart.” He feels himself a father rather than a teacher, and he views his pupils as his children. Love constrains him. It is in love that he warns them against sin and recommends to them the service of the Lord. What a blessing if we may deal with children in this way, in school and in catechism!

Above all, parents should speak in this way with their children regarding the emptiness of the world and the richness of the fear of the Lord. For they must bring up their children in the admonition and fear of the Lord, and the Lord will bless that simple instruction. Think of Obadiah, who could say, “I fear the Lord from my youth.” Parents, do you speak at times with your children about the seriousness of life, about the necessity and the possibility of true conversion, and about the loveliness of serving the Lord? What do children learn, hear, and see in the home? Do they see only a dead formality? Do they sometimes see much worldly conformity? Do they see that your life clashes with your teaching? Children’s eyes are so keen! How much the fear of God is lacking in many families!

But the words we are considering are not only just words of Solomon. Behind and above him there is the greater Solomon, Wisdom Himself. He could say, “Counsel is Mine, and sound wisdom, I am understanding; I have strength.” In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. He is the true God and eternal life. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and theretore He can call all things His own.

When we consider these words, what depth they receive when He speaks them! Should it not be a wonder to us that He, who counts the ages as hours, seeks insignificant human beings, indeed, that He calls unto us? Must we not be amazed that our salvation is so dear to His heart?

By this request He permits us a view into His heart which burns with compassion. We see here the movement of God from all eternity who, in Immanuel, assumed flesh and blood. In order that condemnable, guilty sinners should be saved, according to God’s eternal good pleasure, He died in due time for the ungodly. And in order that ungodly sinners might be saved by Him, He speaks to them so lovingly, saying, “My son, give Me thine heart.”

This does not here involve adoption, such as Paul speaks of in his epistle to the Romans. For there we read: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” When He says, “My son,” then it does not involve adoption. We become children only by regeneration. But here it does speak in regard to the covenant relationship in which we are placed with Him. In baptism we were separated from the world. We belong to the Lord, and this He brings to our attention. Actually He is saying “I have a right to you; you ought to fear Me. The love of your heart is due Me!” How very clearly this reveals that the Lord has no desire in the death of a sinner, but that He has a desire for his salvation!

Parents, do you speak at times with your children about the seriousness of life, about the necessity and the possibility of true conversion, and about the loveliness of serving the Lord?

Yes, it matters a great deal to Him, for He begs and entreats us for our heart! He continually comes to us in this way in the proclamation of the Word! Are not God’s servants ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by them? Yes, they pray you in Christ’s stead, “Be ye reconciled to God.” Should not this request then cause our heart to break?

But what does He really mean when He asks for our heart? Well, the heart is the center of our being. It is the source of our life. The heart is actually “the person of the person.” If we then give someone our heart, we are not giving something of ourself, but giving ourself. That person then receives our heart and our heart goes out to him.

That is why Christ asks for our heart! He does not desire something of us, even not everything of us, but He desires us! No, He is not satisfied with our money only. For that matter, He can say, “The gold and silver are mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” He does not request our hand or our foot, for we can be busy in the service of the Lord and yet the Lord Himself does not have the love of our heart.

Neither does He ask for our head, for we can have a degree in theology without knowing and loving the Lord. He does not request our feelings. Many tears are shed which do not issue forth from a broken heart. He does not ask for our mouth! For we can speak and preach soundly without knowing for ourselves the matters and the words. Yes, we can be amazed at our beautiful prayers, whereas the Lord says of them: “They draw near Me with their mouth, but have removed their heart far from Me.”

No, the Lord does not request anything of us but ourselves, our heart! Indeed, if He has our heart, then He also has our money.

Then nothing is too much for the service of the Lord. Then He also has our strength, for we desire to bestow all our energy in His service. Then He also has our ear, for we take notice of the answer Cod gives us. Then He also has our time, for we desire to be busy every day in the fear of the Lord. Then He also has our eye, for mine eyes are ever toward the Lord. Then He also has our hand, for we give Him our hand and enter into His sanctuary. Then He also has our foot, for then we set our feet in His paths that our footsteps slip not. Then He also has our understanding, for then we consider the things which are above. Then He also has our soul, for we say, “With my soul have I desired Thee in the night.” Then He also has our knee, for then with joy and gladness we may bow before Him. Then He has our feelings, for apart from Him we long and thirst and nought can satisfy.

That is the reason why He asks for our heart. No, He does not desire it because it is good, but in order that He can make it good! He does not desire it because it beats for Him, but in order that it shall beat for Him.

What a merciful and uncovering request this is! For if He asks for our heart, it signifies that He does not have our heart. We have pledged our heart to the devil. Our heart does not go out to God, but to sin, to things of time and sense! We have no desire to fear Him. We do not even want Him to be King over us. Nevertheless, to such hardened sinners, He says, “Give Me thine heart.” Shouldn’t our heart break under this?

Who dares to still withhold his heart? Who dares to say, “Go Thy way for this time”? If we do so, this word shall testify against us in eternity. Therefore, how blessed if we are driven into strife by this request, if this request touches our heart! How ashamed we will then be because of our ungodly walk! We will begin to see who God is and what our sins are. We will receive a desire after the Lord and begin to hate sin. Then we cannot understand how that the Lord asks for us, whereas we had no desire to know of Him. Oh, how gladly we would then give Him our heart, but we discover that this is impossible! We begin to learn that we are incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness. What a guilt this becomes for us and what a grief this causes!

Do you know something of this? This is an indication that the Lord has already taken your heart. How did this happen? That is the wonder of the proclamation of the Word. For if the Holy Ghost accompanies the preaching of the Word, it becomes a power of God unto salvation. Then we can no longer resist; then we can no longer listen inattentively. Then we can no longer live without God and continue to sin against Him! By this it is evident that we have received a new heart.

But how have we then received this? God gave it! Yes, but He requested our heart—how can He then give it? Oh, that is the wonderful mystery of salvation! We have to do with a God who gives that which He requires. He it is who takes the heart, and as a fruit of this we begin to pray, “Lord, take my heart. Make it what it is not and what it shall never be of itself. Yes, renew my heart, O Lord, and cleanse that filthy fountain of all my evil doings.”

It is all His work. Oh, there is such a rich and spacious gospel! It all comes from one side! But therein lies the reason that God’s church continues to pray for a new heart, for He, by discovering light, causes them to see that their heart is yet so divided. It causes them to sigh, “O wretched man that I am; if I had another heart, I surely would be another person!” In this way they increasingly need this ministration of Christ in order that He may cleanse them by His blood and renew them by His Spirit.

But it also places a distinguishing mark upon them, for then the fruits of the Spirit are seen and in them the Lord is glorified. Thus they strive after perfection, for then they shall be permitted to receive the desire of their heart.

Then becomes true that which the poet sang: “With all my heart will I record Thy praise, O Lord, and exaltation.”

We have to do with a God who gives that which He requires. He it is who takes the heart, and as a fruit of this we begin to pray, “Lord, take my heart.”

Rev. J. Van Haaren (1933-1983) served the Netherlands Reformed Congregations (Gereformeerde Gemeenten) of Kampen, Rijsse, and Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

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