Whole-Hearted Obedience

I've been spending time in Psalm 119 the last few months. During that time I've noticed a theme that keeps coming up. That of whole-hearted obedience to God's Word. Not a half-hearted kind of thing, but an all in kind of thing.

Not all of them use the words whole-hearted, but many verses talk of the concept.

"Blessed are those whose ways are blameless . . ." (vs. 1) - I've also heard this one translated as, "Happy are those who are whole-hearted in the way . . ."

"You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed . . ." (vs. 4)

"My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times." (vs. 20)

"Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart." (vs. 34)

". . . I have promised to obey your word." (vs. 57)

"I keep your precepts with all my heart." (vs. 69)

"May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees." (vs. 80)

"My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end." (vs. 112)

"I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your decrees." (vs. 145)

"I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly." (vs. 167)


The psalmist didn't desire a partial obedience to God's Word. The psalmist wanted to give God everything and follow His ways completely.

As I've been reading this and studying this, I've found myself thinking about how I want that for myself to. I don't want to just sort of follow God. I wanted to be all in.

And when I look at the teaching of Jesus and of the other founders of the early church, I think that's what they are calling us to as well. To be all in. To give God everything.

God wants us to obey what He says completely. If we don't follow completely what God says, then we're not obeying God at all. God calls us to give us it all.

So, how are you doing at whole-hearted obedience? Is it something you desire? Is it how you live?