Head/Heart

Head/Heart

Then the Lord said, “Because this nation approaches [Me only] with their words And honors Me [only] with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning], ISAIAH 29:13 AMP

First of all, it must be noted that God is a God of absolute knowledge. Nothing is hidden from Him, and nothing can hide from Him. When He speaks, he does so from a position of complete authority, and His judgments are precise. If you seek the truth about the state of your life, go to God, and allow His truth to impress itself upon your heart, so you can make amends where required. The benefits would be eternal, and the consequences of refusal would also be eternal.

Secondly, following from the point above, you cannot offer God hypocritical service and expect to get away with it. For the people referred to in today's extract, they knew and followed all the motions and practices; they were faithful in church attendance; they spoke the right words, but the God of absolute knowledge knew there was no sincerity behind the actions and words. Dire warning: don't be carried away by the outward show of piety that people are so good with these days; God sees and judges men based on the contents and direction of their hearts. How's yours?

Thirdly, there is a part for me to play. I note that in today's extract, the people were free to make a choice of what to do, when to do it and how to do it. God didn't force himself on them, just as He does not force himself on us now. Willing submission is what He desires, as serving God becomes a thing of desire, not compulsion. Everywhere you turn to in today's church, people are stuck on titles, visibility and control, but there are only a few people who understand that what God seeks isn't so much on the outside or what can be applauded, but what is inside and only what God can birth and sustain.

So, how's your heart? Is it hung on God or is it scattered in several directions? Can God count on its focus? Am I holding on to worthless traditions taught by men, or am I seeking God for myself, so I can worship him in spirit and in truth? The answers will reverberate through eternity. His time of favour is here.