Day 4: Single-hearted
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? (James 3: 9-11).
Lord God, the palmist prayed, "Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name" (Psalm 86:11). He understood the importance of Your command: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
The Lord Jesus declared that this was the first and greatest commandment, and went on to instruct us, "And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:38-40).
The Holy Spirit would illuminate these commandments for us even further. True to the promise of Jesus that the Spirit of Truth would guide [My disciples] into all the truth... because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to [My disciples] (John 16:13-14), the Holy Spirit breathed instructions through the words of the apostle James to show us how to live out these commandments in everyday, practical life:
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-21).
Lord, impress on our hearts the active, everyday application of Your command. We cannot love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and still have room for hate in all its explicit and subtle forms — not just vitriol and hostility, but also apathy, lack of compassion, self-interest, agreement with and approval of tyranny, oppression, cruelty and injustice...
We are grateful for the promise that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26). Teach us. Teach [us] Your way... that [we] may live by Your truth; make [us] single-hearted, so that [we] can fear your name (Psalm 86:11 - CJB). Remind us.
Remind us that our hearts cannot at once be a source of praise to You and a spring of cursing to humans who, like us, bear the image of God (James 3:9). Remind us that we have been forgiven much. Remind us of the heart of a Savior who spoke words of love into our own unrighteousness, "I [do not] condemn you, Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11).
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