Request your free, three-month trial to Tabletalk magazine. You’ll receive the print issue monthly and gain immediate digital access to decades of archives. This trial is risk-free. No credit card required.
Try Tabletalk NowAlready receive Tabletalk magazine every month?
Verify your email address to gain unlimited access.
When an aging parent or friend dies, we often ask the family whether they were able to say goodbye. Last words are treasured, not only as a final farewell but because they often hold the wisdom and love of a lifetime.
Scripture gives us a window into one of these goodbyes, the final moments between a dying king and his rising son: David and Solomon. After sharing practical advice for kingdom governance, David gets personal. You can imagine David, as an aged father, leaning in and meeting the eyes of Solomon: “My son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart” (1 Chron. 28:9).
The word “whole” means “total” or “complete,” in contrast to a “part,” which implies something’s being withheld or divided. David was called the man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22), but he knew the pull of his own heart to keep parts of life to himself rather than devoting his life completely to God. He pleaded, “Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Ps. 86:11, NIV).
Whenever we believe that we can love ourselves better than God can, we section off a piece of our lives with an unspoken “mine” to God. Solomon became a mighty king, full of wisdom and strength, but he began to look beyond God’s promises to satisfy his heart. It started with finding refuge in women rather than God. It led to idolatry, limited the reflection of God’s glory, and bore fruit in the devastating division of the kingdom.
It’s sobering that we can wear the helmet of salvation on our heads, have the robes of Christ’s righteousness covering us, and yet live in the shadows of compromise born from a divided heart. And while Christ’s salvation is so complete and sure that not even hell can shake it, a divided heart robs us of the peace, fruitfulness, and happiness that His salvation holds. It dims the purpose of our lives, neglects the glory of the cross, and stunts the goodness meant to flow from our lives to others.
There is a clear difference in the life trajectories of David and Solomon. While Solomon’s life deepened in compromise, David responded with sincere repentance and found God ready to restore: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ps. 86:15). We too have a choice—we can ignore or hide our divided hearts, or we can let go, repent, and trust His promises again.
Because of Jesus’ wholehearted love for us, we can come to Him with our divided hearts and be made whole. His heart has never been divided—when we were dead in our sins, He gave us His life; when we were enemies, He reconciled us and called us friends. What grace! God’s purpose for our lives is beyond any greatness or happiness that we could ever imagine or create for ourselves. And as we look to God and believe His promises, our lives will shine bright with His glory, purpose, and love.