For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7

I want to pose a question and simply ask, Is our heart in what we are doing?

This could be anything… Spending time with others, spending time with the Lord, worship, cooking a meal for a family member, working, doing things as for the Lord and not for man, etc.

Or are we just doing things for the sake of doing them?

One of our highest calling as Christians is to do everything we do for the glory of God. It’s even above doing it for ourselves or another person. In this, doing it for the Lord, our motives are at their height in purity. After all, what matters the most is on the inside.

Sometimes it’s said that if your heart’s not in it, don’t do it. Granted, there are times when we need to step past what we are feeling and simply do something. But we always must be keeping tabs on our heart-attitude. For God loves a cheerful giver. And what about that lady who gave two copper coins out of her lacking, but in radical abandonment to the Lord?

I feel that there in a general view there is a complacency and holding back in the body of Christ today. I think apathy is present. There is laziness. We’re limited in what we give.

Why?

Are we fully grasping the power of our actions?

Do we really understanding the why behind those things we as Christians are called to do?

C.S. Lewis hits on this area in at the beginning of his book, Mere Christianity. He called it the “Law of Nature,” regarding how people ought/are thought to supposed to act. Then we can say, “Ok good. I am told to do this, so I’ve done it.” Plain and simple. Short and sweet. I want to challenge us to take this a level deeper, into the heart of the matter.

Take a moment to reflect on God peering into your heart. What would He find there? Emptiness? As in, “Well, I’ve been told to do this, so I’m doing it. There are no connections or real desire. I’m just following orders.” Mixed-up motives? “I don’t really want to do this, but I’m going to do it anyways. That’s all that really matters is that I do it.” Passion? “God has given so much to me, and I want to give the best part of everything back to Him.”

I strongly feel that the reason that we as the Church are so starving in our giving is that we are not fully grasping the power behind what the Lord has given to us.

If we TRULY understood the power and reasoning behind worship, wouldn’t we have so much more passionate and meaningful worship? If we really understood the importance of reading our Bible and meditating on God’s word, wouldn’t we be more heartfelt with that? You will act on what you believe. If you believe that God loves you, has your best in mind, and has good things planned, chances are you will have more of a heart of obedience.

The best way to move past all of this is to peer into God’s own heart. Look at His fiery passion for us. It’s everywhere in the Bible. Focus on the absolute Truth of how God feels, on His attributes. Ponder it. Meditate on it. Expect the Lord to reward your seeking with more of Himself. It is one of the most astounding joys in life to get to know the Lord for Who He really is. Search the scriptures. Find out how generous and giving God is. Search for humble and geared towards serving Jesus was throughout His time on earth. Look for how willing Jesus was to give up everything. Come to know God’s radical, passionate love in the Song of Solomon. The promises are all there.

Once we take hard, long gazes at God’s heart we will be transfigured. Our hearts will be more willing and more on fire to give because then we will understand how much the Lord has given to us. We must learn to totally rely on the Holy Spirit and God’s grace. Then we will be fully and divinely equipped. Nothing can be done on our own. This desire to give will erupt from within. Then we will be empowered. Then our giving will be more true, more sincere.

Everyday we must peer into God’s Word, think on it, and allow Him to change and transform us evermore from glory to glory.

Jesus, may we always become more like you.

Amen.