King David prayed in 1 Chronicles 29:18 that his people would have loyal hearts.
He said, “LORD, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.”
What does it mean to be loyal?
Loyal people keep their promises, do what they say they’re going to do, and can be trusted with secrets, money, anything.
Pets are often said to be loyal, because they know who their masters are and hang on every gesture, respond to every word, and want to please them above anyone else.
People who are disloyal are not only unreliable, but they may also be untrustworthy with something you loan them, or they may betray a confidence or be unfaithful to their spouse.
Loyal Hearts or Disloyal?
The hymn, Come Thou Fount, written by Robert Robinson in 1757 and sung here by the Luther College Nordic Choir, opens with jubilance.
Come Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy praise.
But later lines say,
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.
Prone to leave the God I love.
Do you ever feel the tendency to wander?
I do. It’s not that I consciously start my day by planning to abandon the ways of God, but rather that I’ve gotten trapped between the good and not so good, the barely tolerable and the sleazy. And that’s just on TV!
When we consider what’s really important to us – faith, family, friends, love and mercy, truth, morality, kindness, selflessness, life itself – we long to stay true no matter how much we are opposed by others or tempted by our own selfishness and impulsivity.
The last line of the hymn says,
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it.
Seal it for Thy courts above.
May it be so, Lord. Amen.
Posted on September 15, 2015
Norma Nill 
The old hymns are just the best, aren’t they? Thanks for the link to the college choir and the thoughts on loyal hearts.
I think we’re on the same page of music. Thanks for reading, Diane!