Prepared Hearts

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” 
Ezra 7:10

It does not come naturally into our hearts to seek, obey, and then teach others the words of God as found in the Scriptures. Therefore, like Ezra, we must prepare our hearts. One’s natural “heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9) - not at all inclined to stand up for the Word of God. But Ezra did, even in the court of a pagan king and in the midst of the enemies of God’s people in a far county, and even among the backslidden people of his own nation. He prepared his heart, fixing it in the firm laws and promises of God. And, because he did, he could testify: “I was strengthened according to the hand of the Lord my God upon me” (Ezra 7:28).

On the other hand - we read, for example, of King Rehoboam whose rebellion and sin led to the dividing of Israel into two kingdoms and eventually into the captivity. These judgements came because, unlike Ezra, Rehoboam “did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 12:14).

Thus, our hearts need to be prepared to seek God and His Word, but how do we get them prepared? First, we must come to Him in true humility. “O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear” (Psalm 10:17).

God is then the One Who actually prepares our hearts! “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord” (Prov. 16:1). We can only prepare our hearts to seek and serve God if we humbly call on Him to do the preparing.