But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7, NASB
A Sincere Heart
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6, NLT
An apology was definitely in order, and I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I heard the words, I’m sorry. What had started as a minor disagreement between two of my sons over the proper way to build a fort with couch cushions had quickly escalated into something more: a shouting match with insults being hurled at one another. One brother was quick to see his faulty behavior and offered a sincere apology, but the other one not so much. In fact, he flat out refused. Out of frustration, “You will sit on that couch until you say ‘You’re sorry!’” came out of my mouth. With his eyes fixed on the floor, his lips pursed, and his voice hushed, he gave his brother the apology I had demanded, and he bounced off the couch and back up the stairs.
Sure, he had done what I had told him to do. He had fulfilled the requirement and he had moved on. But void of any emotion, I was hardly satisfied with the apology. I wanted him to realize his faulty choices. I wanted more than outward obedience: I wanted inward change. I wanted to see a sincere heart.
As I watched him bound up the steps, feeling proud of himself that he had fulfilled his “requirement,” I felt conviction stirring in my soul. I, too, am guilty of this same behavior with God: I pat myself on the back after putting a check mark on my spiritual to-do list and then bound off to get on with my day.
Prayer? Check.
Bible study? Check.
Church on Sunday? Check.
Offering in the plate? Check.
The spiritual to-do list could go on and on, but God doesn’t want mere outward obedience: He wants our hearts. Empty actions borne of an empty heart are not pleasing to Him, nor do they accomplish anything. Just as I wanted the apology to come from a sincere heart, He wants our actions to come from a place of sincerity as well, not from obligation, duty, or guilt.
If today you’re finding your spiritual life is leaning more toward obligation than worship, it’s OK. We’ve all been there, but we should desire something far greater: a heart that loves and adores our Creator.
Today, let’s take the time to seek Him through prayer and reading His word. Let’s confess our faulty attitude, and ask Him to replace those feelings with the love and adoration He desires and deserves.
Amazed by His grace,
Traci