Topical Bible: Man: God: Prepares the Heart of

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In the biblical narrative, the concept of God preparing the heart of man is a profound theme that underscores the divine initiative in human transformation and spiritual readiness. This preparation is seen as an act of grace, where God actively works within individuals to align their hearts with His purposes and will.

Scriptural Foundations

The Bible provides several instances where God is depicted as the one who prepares or influences the hearts of individuals. In the Old Testament, this is often seen in the context of God preparing the hearts of His people to seek Him and follow His commandments. For example, in 1 Chronicles 29:18, David prays, "O LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You."

Similarly, in the New Testament, the preparation of the heart is closely associated with the work of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 16:14, we read about Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened to respond to Paul's message: "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message."

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

The preparation of the heart by God highlights the interplay between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While God initiates and enables the transformation of the heart, individuals are called to respond to His prompting. This is evident in Proverbs 16:1, which states, "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD."

This dynamic is further illustrated in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23), where the condition of the soil (representing the heart) determines the reception and fruitfulness of the seed (the Word of God). Here, the preparation of the heart is crucial for the Word to take root and bear fruit.

Prayer and Heart Preparation

Prayer is a vital means through which believers seek God's preparation of their hearts. In Psalm 51:10, David pleads, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This prayer reflects a desire for God to purify and prepare the heart for righteous living.

Moreover, the apostle Paul frequently prays for the spiritual growth and heart preparation of the believers. In Ephesians 1:17-18, he writes, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you."

Implications for Believers

For believers, the understanding that God prepares the heart is both comforting and challenging. It is comforting to know that God is actively involved in shaping their spiritual journey, ensuring that they are equipped to fulfill His purposes. At the same time, it challenges believers to remain open and responsive to God's work in their lives, seeking His guidance and allowing Him to mold their hearts according to His will.

In summary, the preparation of the heart by God is a testament to His intimate involvement in the lives of His people, guiding them towards spiritual maturity and alignment with His divine plan.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 16:1
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

He Interprets the Scriptures which the Pelagians Make Ill Use Of.
... of the tongue is from the Lord," it is that man prepares his heart, not, however,
without the aid of God, who so touches the heart that man prepares the heart. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 19 ix he interprets the.htm

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
... If the hungry man be not satisfied with food he dies. ... As in the case of prayer, when
God prepares the heart to pray, he prepares his ear to hear (Psalm 10 ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/14 spiritual hunger shall be.htm

Whether Grace is Necessarily Given to Whoever Prepares Himself for ...
... Hence, however much a man prepares himself, he does not necessarily receive grace
from ... grace, it is speaking in the sense that man's flight to God is by ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether grace is necessarily given.htm

God's Waiting and Man's
... that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God.' He who prepares a place ... Man's
waiting ... 'If the vision tarry, wait for it.' We may well wait for God when we ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods waiting and mans.htm

Whether Grace is Bound to be Given to one who Prepares Himself for ...
... then, is grace bound to be given to one who prepares himself for ... Hence if a man whose
heart is moved receives grace by the intention of God who moves ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article three whether grace is 3.htm

Whether Without Grace a Man Can Prepare Himself for Grace
... for me to draw near to God." A man cannot therefore ... To turn to God is to prepare
oneself for grace, just as ... away from the light of the sun prepares himself to ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article six whether without grace.htm

Prayer Takes in the Whole Man
... goes before entrance into the closet and prepares the way ... and the mind is given over
entirely to God, thinking of Him ... in taking hold of the entire man, does not ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/i prayer takes in the.htm

The Soil and the Seed
... Culture prepares the soil; and then in sacred moments, perhaps ... in the busiest moments
of your day, God, the sower ... an awakened heart; the life of man ready for ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/lxxix the soil and the.htm

Meditation.
... is taken up and united, and man brought into ... of the heart; whereas meditating upon
God is contemplating ... Meditation prepares the heart for that deeper communion ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/meditation.htm

Twenty-Second Lesson. My Words in You. '
... an easy thing, and can be learned of man by human ... in the voice and the language that
God hears ... of the learner, wakened morning by morning, that prepares for the ...
/.../murray/with christ in the school of prayer/twenty-second lesson my words in.htm