Running with an Enlarged Heart

Psalm 119:31,32

    Let us be honest and speak the truth. We are so frail spiritually and have a sinful flesh that troubles us even step of our way. So often we are proud of our sins rather than ashamed and sorry. By God's grace we have not fallen into unbelief and hatred against God; but we still are prone to stumble into sins which we ought to hate.

    Is there ever going to be a change? Will we ever love God with all our heart? Yes, but it will not be because we in our strength put off all our love of sin and got full control of all our members. Listen to the psalmist in Psalm 119:31, 32: "I have stuck unto Thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame.  I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart.'' Get that!  When God enlarges our hearts, we will run in His commandments.

    As the newborn babe grows, its heart becomes larger. So it must be with us as children of God. Our hearts must become larger than they now are, if we are going to run, in God's commandments. That is, our hearts must be able to hold more spiritual blood to send to every fiber of our being, if we are to run in holiness. That spiritual blood is love to God. A large heart full of it will walk as Christ walked.

    But note that God must enlarge that heart; and then we will not walk but run in love to God. We sing that in our versification (PRC Psalter):

    I cleave unto Thy truth, O Lord;
    From shame deliver me:
    In glad obedience I will live
    Through strength bestowed by Thee.

    There you have it. Strength bestowed by God will enable us to run the way of His commandments. Boast of doing so in your own strength, and you show yourself in Satan's clutches and that your heart is large with hatred against God. Love to God will praise Him and make us strive to run faster in service to Him than in the past. We will not be satisfied with walking, but will want to serve Him fully with every fiber of our being. Pray then that you may be kept from the shameful way of sin and of boasting. Run in the confession of God's love and grace.

Read: Psalm 119:97-112 
Psalter versification: #324:4

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
II Samuel 4 
II Samuel 5 
II Samuel 6 
John 13:31-38 
John 14:1-14 
Psalm 119:17-32 
Proverbs 15:31-32

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Quote for Reflection:

"The will of Jesus Christ, is that those who belong to Him should walk exactly in his footsteps; that they should be, as He was, full of mercy and love; that they should render to no one evil for evil, but endure, for His sake, injuries, calumnies, and every outrage. To them all anger and resentment should be unknown." -- Athanasius