My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of You among the peoples.
For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let Your glory be over all the earth.
Psalms 57:7-11 NIV

The first two lines of this week’s passage struck me the hardest. It wasn’t about what God was doing for me or about my enemies or the adversities I was facing. It was about me. It was about my heart.

I looked at some other versions of this week’s selection and saw other descriptions of the condition of our heart—the word, steadfast.  Some of these other descriptions were“fixed, ready, confident.” Although they have different definitions they sum up well what we need to possess in order to be able to live out the rest of the passage.

Steadfast
• firmly fixed in place
• not subject to change
• firm in belief, determination, or adherence

Now here in other versions, ‘steadfast’ is translated a little differently:
Fixed (KJV)
• placed or attached in a way that does not move easily
Ready (MSG)
• prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action
• prepared for immediate use
• willingly disposed
• likely to do something indicated
• displayed readily and spontaneously
Confident (NLT)
• having a feeling, belief that you can do something well, succeed at something
∙ having confidence
• showing that you have confidence
• certain that something will happen or that something is true

As with most instructions God gives us, along with the directives He places on our lives, there is one thing we need to make sure of— that our hearts are where they need to be. And that the condition of our hearts allows for the task to be completed. That is an example to others of the love of God and of His influence in our lives.

This week I want to focus on my heart.

I want to focus on what it looks like…to God and to others.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father,
The condition of our hearts may not be something we look at on a daily basis, it may be something that we take for granted. But Lord, this week I pray that we take a closer look. I pray that we take the steps needed to have our hearts be a reflection of You. I pray that we work towards becoming steadfast, fixed, ready, and confident. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.