I Samuel 16:7 “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.”

It is sometimes hard to judge (thought it doesn’t, unfortunately, keep people from trying) to tell a person’s motivations simply by looking at them. If you began, for example, going to church because of a deep and burning desire to draw closer to God this would be a good thing. If later on (the desire having been somewhat quenched) you no longer feel the ‘passion’ you once did and now attend church because you know it is something you should do…to the casual observer, would your church attendance appear any different? Can you tell if a man giving money to the poor is doing so out of compassion or out of an opportunity for personal gain or a tax write off? No. Simply put, we cannot see into the hearts of our fellow human beings. We can, however, look into our own hearts and determine what it is that motivates us towards the things of God. In the beginning our heart, our love for the Lord led us to do things. When we lose that passion, we continue out of habit, mechanically doing what love led us to do in the first place. We need an update. We must lead our hearts back to him.

Pray: “Lord God, appearances can so often be deceiving. It was my heart, connecting to your great love, that led me to you and the accepting of your son’s sacrifice for me. Help me now, Father, to lead my heart back to the place of connection. Pour your spirit out anew on me, revive me and help me to no longer “go through the motions” of being a disciple but rather with passionate conviction, let me again tap into the source of my strength, my joy and the deep and ever-flowing well of your love. Let what is inside me, drive what others see on the outside. In the mighty and everlasting name of my Lord Jesus I pray – Amen.”