Have you ever been so upset or frustrated that you felt tied up in knots? Recently I was reminded of a time when I felt that way – overwhelmed by life. I was heavy-hearted and knew that I needed a heart reset. And I knew where I could find one.
A Psalm of David gave words to my plight and direction to my prayer. Echoing Psalm 86:11, I earnestly prayed, “Teach me Your way, O LORD!” And I committed to Him, “I will walk in Your truth.” But it was the last phrase that grabbed me as I cried out to God, “UNTIE my heart …”
Yes! The essence of my problem was clearly spelled out. I realized that I was allowing my heart to be tied to the wrong things, and I was reaping the result – confusion, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anger, etc. It was not pleasant to admit that my heart trouble was of my own making. But it was freeing to recognize that each improper attachment had not and could not possibly fill or satisfy my heart.
After confessing and repenting from my foolish, sinful entanglement in earthly things, I symbolically cut the strings that I had allowed to tie up my heart. It was time to set my heart and mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). With renewed peace and purpose I went back to the verse in Psalm 86 to reconfirm my prayer.
But rereading verse 11, I was surprised to realize I had misread it! It actually says, “UNITE my heart to fear Your name.” God graciously used both words to open the eyes of my heart in that moment.
He had helped me untie my heart from earthly things, then helped me understand He would also help to unite the scattered, disconnected pieces of my heart to form a cohesive whole set on fearing Him – giving Him first place in my heart – by reverencing, loving and obeying Him.
One more step sealed my commitment and served to lift the heaviness from my heart. Verses from the old hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (Robert Robinson, 1757) came to mind and I sang them aloud to the Lord as both praise and petition:
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart; oh, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above!
Do you need to UNTIE your heart from earthly things? Do it now! Then join David and me in asking God to UNITE your heart to live a life of wholehearted devotion to Him and to “tune your heart to sing” His grace as it binds your heart to His.
He had helped me untie my heart from earthly things, then helped me understand He would also help to unite the scattered, disconnected pieces of my heart to form a cohesive whole set on fearing Him – giving Him first place in my heart – by reverencing, loving and obeying Him.
Author Info
Laura Kates
Laura and her husband of 46 years, Curt Kates, live in Houston, Texas. They met and married at the Baptist Student Union on the campus of LSU. After completing graduate school, they made their home in Houston and became active members of Second Baptist Church. They have two sons and one daughter, all married and living in the Houston area. Laura and Curt are delighted to have nine grandchildren: Jonah, Joanna, Joy, Libby, Evie, Shelby, Cooper, Olivia, and Callie.
Laura has an active speaking ministry, teaches a married couples Bible study class at her church, and mentors young women. She tutored high school and college students in mathematics for more than 35 years and was a classroom teacher for five years at Second Baptist School. Laura has been involved in missions since her high school days and has served in numerous ways and places on the home and international mission fields. God has called her to study the Word, live the Word, and teach the Word (Ezra 7:10). Her primary ministry is to women, encouraging them to grow in their relationship with the Lord and to become women of the Word.
Laura likes reading, music, and traveling and she especially enjoys time at the beach. And all of those are made better if they include her grandchildren!