“I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shall enlarge my heart.” Psalms 119:32
What does it mean to have an enlarged heart? It clearly implies our heart can be enlarged. Enlarge means to make great; to broaden; to increase capacity. When studying the scripture, I like to go to the root word and find the exact meaning, then find scriptures that use that same word to better understand what is being said. That search for the word “run” took me to Joel 2:7 which says, “They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war, and they shall march every one on his ways and they shall not break their ranks.”
“…..For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 It is not possible for something contrary to what is in our hearts to come out of us. Our hearts contain what and who we really are. Satan can not read our mind. He does not know what is in our heart until we speak or act. The word says we are to put a guard at our mouth. Jesus said “this people draweth near unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Matthew 15:8
Consider Solomon. In I Kings 3:5 God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Ask what I shall give thee”. Solomon replied, “Give, therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad…..”.
“….And God gave Solomon wisdom, and very much understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore.” God gave Solomon so much of what he asked for that he enlarged his heart so that he could contain it.
God knows our heart. “The word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
The condition of our heart is vital. God wants a people who have a heart that is full and running over, ready to pour forth the water and the oil . The purpose of an enlarged heart is so that we are better equipped to be His hands extended to a hurting world.
The word tells us that when Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion. The word compassion here denotes a deep feeling of empathy and sorrow for another. We are created in the image of God. That image is not limited to what we look like; it speaks of function. Jesus said we would do greater works than he did. We are to be a people who, as the scripture says, “run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war, and they shall march every one on his ways and they shall not break their ranks.” I fear we have broken ranks, we have wondered off on our own and mapped out our own way, lost our vision of who we are in the earth. We are at a serious, and yes, dangerous crossroad. The world doesn’t listen to us any more regarding cultural issues of the day. They ignore the voices from the pulpit because we have become tepid and accommodating of their choices. There needs to be a sound of alarm coming from the church that speaks of conviction and repentance. Our collective hearts should be grieved, broken, prostrate over the condition of the world. We are to speak the truth in love, Agape Love, the God kind of love that flows from the fountain of living water.
May God enlarge our hearts and fill us to overflowing with His purpose and His power.
afirebynight 