He Who Sees the Heart is to be Trusted, Not Fought
I am so glad God looks at the heart, bypassing all our efforts and actions and words. I am too harsh a judge.
I've been thinking about this recently, how I have a nasty habit I desire so much to break: I see only the appearance and don't strive to see the heart God sees.
God convicted me of this in a certain situation where, for the life of me I could not understand why he would allow an individual a role of leadership. In my mind's eye he was highly unqualified for the job, not experienced enough, on the arrogant side of the spectrum and it upset me. I thought to myself "God couldn't be in this, He couldn't bless this." And I treated this individual with contempt in my heart, because well, I thought I was justified in doing so.
Enter Samuel and David. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)
Yes, I know its a Sunday school lesson I learned a long time ago in a place called, "Innocent Sponge" (where you soak up every little bible story and moral lesson but like a sponge it dries out and you have to learn it again). But isn't so much of the Christian life learning over and over and over? Are we not wandering Israelites much of the time, forgetting and doubting and stumbling over our own pride?
So as I was quite convicted and humbled as I read through the story again. As I read each line the Spirit spoke to me, "It is Our ministry and We alone choose." Who knew that after 13 verses I could feel so small and so utterly rebuked. I just sat there for a quite some time, trying to wrap my brain around what had just happened. And then finally repenting of my judging heart. As always the forgiveness that follows is sweet and sacred. So undeserving am I yet so blessed by this eternally merciful and graceful and patient God.
God commands us to trust him. And this command is still true when it comes to who He appoints as leaders...we need to trust he knows what is best for the appointed leader, the flock under him, the larger church, and so on and so on. And then we are to submit to the appointed leader as appropriate as an act of obedience to the Lord and acting on faith that God has placed them in a position of leadership in our/my life for a specific reason.
Trust, the great underlying issue, do we trust God enough to faithfully follow the ones he has appointed?
I've been thinking about this recently, how I have a nasty habit I desire so much to break: I see only the appearance and don't strive to see the heart God sees.
God convicted me of this in a certain situation where, for the life of me I could not understand why he would allow an individual a role of leadership. In my mind's eye he was highly unqualified for the job, not experienced enough, on the arrogant side of the spectrum and it upset me. I thought to myself "God couldn't be in this, He couldn't bless this." And I treated this individual with contempt in my heart, because well, I thought I was justified in doing so.
Enter Samuel and David. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. (I Samuel 16:7)
Yes, I know its a Sunday school lesson I learned a long time ago in a place called, "Innocent Sponge" (where you soak up every little bible story and moral lesson but like a sponge it dries out and you have to learn it again). But isn't so much of the Christian life learning over and over and over? Are we not wandering Israelites much of the time, forgetting and doubting and stumbling over our own pride?
So as I was quite convicted and humbled as I read through the story again. As I read each line the Spirit spoke to me, "It is Our ministry and We alone choose." Who knew that after 13 verses I could feel so small and so utterly rebuked. I just sat there for a quite some time, trying to wrap my brain around what had just happened. And then finally repenting of my judging heart. As always the forgiveness that follows is sweet and sacred. So undeserving am I yet so blessed by this eternally merciful and graceful and patient God.
God commands us to trust him. And this command is still true when it comes to who He appoints as leaders...we need to trust he knows what is best for the appointed leader, the flock under him, the larger church, and so on and so on. And then we are to submit to the appointed leader as appropriate as an act of obedience to the Lord and acting on faith that God has placed them in a position of leadership in our/my life for a specific reason.
Trust, the great underlying issue, do we trust God enough to faithfully follow the ones he has appointed?
posted by KJ at
9:39 AM
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