My Heart

Hosea 6:6

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

God does not want people who merely go through the motions, who come and do what is expected externally but yet have their hearts in a far different place. Israel and Judah were doing just such things, and in fact even worse. They had forsaken the Lord and were cherishing whoredom and wine which had altered their understanding. Consequently they were destroyed for lack of knowledge. How sad!

1 Sam. 16:7 says, But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.": God has always been concerned about the heart. Ps. 51:16-17 says, For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Such an important thing to remember! It is so easy to reduce our faith to the motions of church and even of service. We equate doing things with favor with God when it is not that way at all. The same idea is found in 2 Cor. 5:12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 

What is in my heart? Am I satisfied with motions even the motions of daily Bible reading or of doing women's Bible study? Shouldn't it be more? My heart needs to long for the presence of the Lord. Like David said in Ps. 27:4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of he Lord and to inquire in His temple. And again in Ps. 84:1-2, How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for he courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. And Ps. 42:1 says, As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. David understood what made him right before God, his heart. His heart panted for God. God was his life, his necessity for existence. Such fervor and emotion! Perhaps that is it. I reduce too much to head knowledge, to facts without involving my emotions. My whole being must be in love with God, must pant for Him and desire above all else to gaze upon the beauty of His holiness. 

Father,

In Your grace and strength grow my love and devotion. Match my emotions match my study. I confess that I do go through  the motions at times instead of seeking You with a heart of love and desire. Forgive me. 

In Jesus name,

Amen