“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” (Psalm 66:18-19)
What do you cherish in your heart? Or to take the greeting card flavor out of it, what do you really want most? The word for cherish in this verse means something that is “aimed for” or “looked forward to.”
David had just said that he prayed to God for help – and God helped. But, David warns, if he had been asking God for help while really wanting most to do something sinful – and especially if he had been asking for God’s help to do a sinful thing – God wouldn’t listen.
And, really, what would be the point of praising God for His goodness while spending the rest of the time “aiming for” sin? If God’s goodness is praiseworthy, why not tell your heart to aim for that, instead?
Think: Can you control what you cherish in your heart? Have you ever felt like you “loved” something sinful? How likely are you to sincerely praise God or to ask for his help when you’re living for sinful things?
Pray: Ask God to help you not to cherish sin in your heart. Thank him that he graciously forgives all the sins of those who put their faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection to save them.
Do: Watch your heart this week and stand guard over it to keep it from aiming for sin.