Topical Bible: The Heart: Pray That It May Be: Directed Into the Love of God

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The heart, in biblical terms, is often seen as the center of human emotion, will, and intellect. It is the seat of our moral and spiritual life, influencing our thoughts, actions, and relationship with God. Scripture frequently emphasizes the importance of the heart's orientation, urging believers to seek a heart that is aligned with God's will and filled with His love.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible underscores the necessity of directing the heart into the love of God. In 2 Thessalonians 3:5, the Apostle Paul prays, "May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance" . This prayer highlights the need for divine guidance in cultivating a heart that is deeply rooted in the love of God, suggesting that such a transformation is not solely a human endeavor but requires the Lord's intervention.

The Nature of the Heart

Scripture reveals that the heart is naturally inclined toward sin and deceit. Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" . This inherent deceitfulness necessitates a transformation that only God can accomplish. The process of directing the heart into God's love involves a profound change, often described as receiving a new heart or being born again (Ezekiel 36:26, John 3:3).

Prayer as a Means of Transformation

Prayer is a vital means by which believers seek the transformation of their hearts. Through prayer, Christians invite God to work within them, aligning their desires and affections with His divine love. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages believers to present their requests to God, promising that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" . This peace is a reflection of a heart that is securely anchored in God's love.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in directing the heart into the love of God. Romans 5:5 declares, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" . The Spirit works within believers to cultivate a love that mirrors God's own, enabling them to love others as He loves them.

Evidence of a Heart Directed into God's Love

A heart directed into the love of God is evidenced by a life that reflects His character. The fruit of the Spirit, as described in Galatians 5:22-23, includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These attributes are manifestations of a heart transformed by God's love, demonstrating the believer's alignment with His will.

Continual Dependence on God

The journey of directing the heart into the love of God is ongoing, requiring continual dependence on Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" . This trust involves a daily surrender to God's guidance, allowing Him to shape and direct the heart according to His purposes.

In summary, the heart's direction into the love of God is a central theme in Scripture, emphasizing the need for divine intervention, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Believers are called to seek this transformation, trusting in God's ability to align their hearts with His perfect love.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Thessalonians 3:5
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Chapter iii.
... 14. But again, it may be asked (whether we are to pray in ideas ... it be that the very
effort involved in prayer calms and purifies our heart, and makes ...
/.../augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter iii 2.htm

Whether the Seven Petitions of the Lord's Prayer are Fittingly ...
... let us forgive the trespasses of others that our own may be forgiven. If it is
understanding whereby blessed are the pure in heart, let us pray lest we ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the seven petitions of.htm

On the Fast of the Tenth Month, I.
... God, as says the Apostle, "Rejoice alway, pray without ceasing ... Plenty and scarcity
may be equally for our good, and ... spring from the soil of our heart, which the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leo/writings of leo the great/sermon xii on the fast.htm

"Love and I" --A Mystery
... Oh, that the Spirit of God may help us to enjoy the ... me; but now, before we separate,
let us pray." It is ... say, "Let us draw nigh unto God." Your heart found no ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 28 1882/love and ia mystery.htm

God Our Guide.
... way to take, rejoice exceedingly in my heart to be ... and obey impressions to fast and
pray that were ... They may have planned, but God's providence overthrew and ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/god our guide.htm

Letter clxxxix. (AD 418. )
... says: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also ... you, that you may be
able to pray sincerely, and ... May the mercy of God ever protect you, my noble ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter clxxxix a d 418.htm

The Established Christian Urged to Exert Himself for Purposes of ...
... to those that yet survive, God Only knows; and I heartily pray that you ... And that
your heart may be yet more opened, and that your charity may be directed ...
/.../chapter xxviii the established christian.htm

Second Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Brotherly Love.
... other reason than the latter's love and goodness of heart. ... faith in Christ, which
our children pray and they ... brethren is the test whereby we may ascertain who ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/second sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

The Privilege of Prayer
... The heart must be open to the Spirit's influence, or God's ... We may not feel His visible
touch, but His hand is ... How can we pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 11 the privilege of.htm

Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving
... Gratitude and murmuring never abide in the same heart at the same time. ... Pray without
ceasing. ... The singing may be so directed as to have in it elements which ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/iv prayer praise and thanksgiving.htm