THE WHOLE HEART | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 6, 1888

THE WHOLE HEART.

KING SOLOMON, who was the wisest man that ever lived, once made a remarkable decision in a very difficult case. Two women came to him with an infant, which each claimed as her own. The one said, pointing at the other: "This woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom." But the other denied this and said, "The living is my son, and the dead is thy son." And on this evidence they expected Solomon to decide whose the child was. Seemingly, this would be impossible; but his knowledge of a mother's heart came to the rescue, and he called for a sword, and said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other." But the mother of the child cried out in anguish, "O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it." Thus Solomon knew by the expressions of the two women which was the mother. The real mother could not bear to see her child divided, while the false one was content to take half.

The Lord asks a question by the prophet Isaiah; says he, "Can a woman forget her sucking child?" There seems to be only one answer to that, yet he says, "They may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Here the Lord illustrates by comparison his love for the human soul, and shows it to be a love far passing the love of women. As a woman could not bear to see her child divided, but must have all or none, so the Lord cannot have the heart divided, but claims all. Says he, "My son, give me thine heart." He demands all the heart, all the mind, all the soul, and all the strength. This in itself shows that he is our Creator and Father. The devil,

like the false mother, is glad (although not satisfied) to get anything he can, but the Lord wants all. You must either do one thing or the other; if the Lord is your God, then follow him, but if Baal is god with you, then follow him. Says the true Witness, "I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."

In spite of this requirement, how many there are in these last days who try to serve the Lord with a divided affection. The religious world is cursed with half-heartedness. Many, even at the time of their conversion, who give their hearts to God, reserve a small corner for themselves or for the world; some pet idol is often cherished. These find the Christian life a hard one; they will be fighting a constant battle, more or less in their own strength, and obtaining little or no satisfaction; they will spend money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfieth not. They will experience a lack in their religious life, and will have a constant craving for something they cannot reach. There are thousands who themselves testify that they are in this condition. To such the invitation is, "Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." But to those who make an unconditional surrender to Jesus, who unresistingly give their whole hearts to him, the Christian life will be full of love, joy, and peace. They will have the mighty power of Jesus to back their own feeble efforts, and so will be able to work out his good pleasure. They will experience a satisfaction that no one else can have, and consequently will be the happiest and most cheerful people on the earth. They will be joyful even in tribulation and persecution, as were Paul and Silas when they in the night sang songs to God from their Philippian prison.

But the matter of not giving the Lord the whole heart is not only unsatisfactory to the donor, but is extremely sinful. We have the case of Ananias and Sapphira. They sold a possession and pretended to give all the money to the Lord, but in reality kept back a portion. In doing this we are told that they sinned against the Holy Ghost, and we know the terrible results, God smote them both and they died. Are not those who openly give the Lord their hearts, but in reality withhold a part, doing precisely the same thing? Are not they grieving the Holy Spirit? If so, it behooves all who come to God to make thorough work. The scriptures quoted above seem to indicate that they were better not converted at all than only half converted. It surely is a solemn thing to draw nigh unto God, and all of us ought to examine our hearts as with a lighted candle and see if we are wholly the Lord's. If we are not, "it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."