Today’s Devotion
Topic: It Is Time To Focus On The Inward!
Text: 1 Sam 16: 7
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Amen
In our day and age, branding is everything. Nothing has to be as authentic as expected. Anything shallow to represent the intended purpose is okay. BRANDING WILL DO THE REST!
Due to this unfortunately reality, everyone seems very busy keeping up appearances. You can tell that a great deal of time, energy and other resources go into polishing and appreciating the outward. While the inward remains full of bones and everything unclean. (Matt 23: 27).
Can anyone be blamed for focusing so much on developing the outward and not the inner issues? Not really! For everyone knows the inward is not directly conspicuous to others, so they concentrate on the part that is seen by all, so as to give it an appealing polish. The horror within is allowed to grow worst, so long as a polished outward can cover it up.
The only two problems with the above are that:
1. The inward is most important. Out of it comes the issues of life (Prov 4: 23). Also, paying utmost attention to the inward is crutial because it is not as much as enter a man that defile him, rather what comes from the inward (Matt 15: 11).
2. Though others may not easily see the things packed up in the inward, there is a great God in heaven who does. He says, _”I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.” (Jer 17: 10).
Now, knowing that “all the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives, David gave a perfect advice to his son Solomon. He said:
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (1 Chron 28:9).
Beloved, it seems like a perfect time to heed David’s advice, right? Most certainly! The times we are in are dangerous and the end is closer now than before. There is no use pretending now. _God knows the secrets of the heart (Ps 44:21)_.
Let us humbly go before God in prayer right now and ask Him to fix us. We want Him to change our stony hearts and give us a heart like His. We want a mind that craves His word and a will that is obedient and submissive to the voice of God. Our innermost being must be transformed to become like Jesus, so that our outwards does not conform otherwise.
This is our humble prayer dear Lord. Please _”hear (us from) heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act; render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men” (1 Kings 8:39)._
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