The Christian's Pleasing Posture

The Bible is not a catalog of practices divided into permissible and impermissible. It does not even mainly seek to address our behavior. It speaks first to our hearts out of which behavior grows. I believe this chronology, this order, is so important. When we reverse the order and seek to address behavior (what I do or do not do) before first addressing the posture of our hearts, we produce fruit that smells of self and quickly spoils because it has not sprung from the living Vine, which is Jesus Christ. Fruit that is produced this way gives off, whether recognized by ourselves, others or not, the odor, which is putrid in God’s nostrils, of self rather than the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ.

This is why, I believe, when Jesus is asked what the two greatest commandments are, He responds by pointing to love, to the affections, which flow from the heart. This is also seen clearly in Psalm 147:10-11.

His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Notice that the psalmist feels it is necessary to first clarify what it is that does not please God lest we are deceived and believe that He is pleased with the same things that so easily captivate us and give rise to admiration in us. When the psalmist wrote this, the horse was very significant in battle. It was something people took comfort in as they went to battle. The same is true of the “legs of a man.” Both were things that men relied upon and took pleasure in. It is interesting to see here that the psalmist chooses to point out something outside of ourselves (strength of the horse) and something within ourselves (legs of a man) thereby addressing our temptation to think that we need something outside of ourselves to please God and that we need a certain capacity within our selves to please Him. No it is neither possessions nor internal capacity that please God, but rather, He is pleased by a certain posture of heart.

God is pleased with a heart that fears Him, that stands in awe of who He is and lets this reality permeate his being and affect his behavior, and He is pleased with a heart that hopes in His steadfast love. Fear and hope – in God’s infinite one acts, in a way, as a fence to the other. Fear keeps hope back from carelessness and laziness while hope keeps fear back from depression and despondency.

Father, give us this pleasing posture I pray. Grant that your servants would, like Yourself, find pleasure in a heart that fears you and hopes in your steadfast love. Keep us from pursuing holiness of behavior without first holiness of heart.