When You shall enlarge my heart.'

Back to Man's religion & God's religion 3

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"I will run the way of Your commandments, when
You shall enlarge my heart." Psalm 119:32

The Word of God is full of precepts—but we are totally 
unable to perform them in our own strength. We cannot, 
without divine assistance, perform the precept . . .
with a single eye to the glory of God,
from heavenly motives, and
in a way acceptable to the Lord, 
without special power from on high. 

We need an extraordinary power to be put forth in our 
hearts—a special work of the Spirit upon the conscience, 
in order to spiritually fulfil in the slightest degree, the
least of God's commandments. 

None but the Lord Himself can enlarge the heart 
of His people. None but the Lord can expand their 
hearts God-wards, and remove that narrowedness 
and contractedness in divine things—which is the 
plague and burden of a God-fearing soul. 

When the Lord is absent, 
when He hides His lovely face, 
when He does not draw near to visit and bless, 
the heart contracts in its own narrow compass.

But when the Lord is pleased to favour the soul with His 
own gracious presence, and bring Himself near to the 
heart, His felt presence opens, enlarges, and expands 
the soul—so as to receive Him in all His love and grace.