Psalm 86:11-13 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 86:11-13 on biblegateway.com
Verse 11Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
Verse 12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
Verse 13For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Devotion
In Psalm 86 the psalmist asks for something quite remarkable: an undivided heart. We're in the midst of a season that pulls our hearts in every direction: buy this product, consume that food and drink, find happiness in all this merrymaking. More often than not, it seems, we find ourselves chasing after the very happiness that's being promised. So ... does it help? Maybe for a while. But after an hour or two, or a day or two, the feelings come back—and so does that sense of being pulled in too many directions.
How about praying for an undivided heart? An answer to that prayer will mean different things to different people—perhaps a few moments of quiet in a busy season, an act of intentional generosity, a focus on God's larger claim upon your life—but you may end up with a sense of peace that you did not have before. You may even end up with a heart that feels whole.
Prayer
Give me an undivided heart, O God. Help me to walk in your way for me. Amen.