Chapter 5 – Part 2
The perfect heart is a gift to be obtained in prayer. David asked the Lord to give it to his son, Solomon, even as he prayed for himself long before,
“Let my heart be perfect in thy testimonies.” Psalm 119:36
Let all of us who long for this blessing follow his example. Let us make it a matter of definite, earnest prayer. Let each son and daughter of God say to the Father:
“Give your child a perfect heart.”
Let us, in the course of our meditations in this book, turn each word of command or teaching or promise into prayer – pointed, personal prayer that asks and claims, that accepts and proves the gift of a perfect heart. When the seed begins to root, and the Spirit gives the consciousness that the beginning of the perfect heart has been bestowed with the wholehearted purpose to live for God alone, then let us hold on in prayer for the perfect heart in all its completeness.
A heart perfect in its purpose toward God – this is only the initial stage. Then there comes the putting on of one grace after another – the going, from strength to strength, on to perfection – the putting on, in ever-growing distinctness of likeness, the Lord Jesus, with every trait of His holy image. All this is to be sought and found in prayer, too. He who understands what perfect in purpose is, will pray to be perfect in practice as well..
In the words of Hezekiah, we see that there are two elements in the perfect heart: the relationship to God, and doing His commandments.
“I have walked before Thee with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight.” 2 Kings 20:3
David speaks of the second of these in his prayer, “a perfect heart, to keep Thy commandments.” The two always go together: walking before God will ensure walking in His commandments.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.” James 1:17
…the gift of a perfect heart too.
“But let us ask in faith, nothing wavering.” James 1:6
Let us be sure that in the believing, adoring worship of God there will be given to the soul that is set upon having it, nothing less than what God Himself means by a perfect heart. Let us pray the prayer boldly,
“Lord give Your child a perfect heart. Let my heart be perfect in Your testimonies.”
Previously God Gives A Perfect Heart–Part 1
