“[Love] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.”
1 Corinthians 13:5
Love is something that penetrates to the deepest part of our being, where no one can see but God alone, even to the very thoughts of our minds. God is not impressed with theatrical demonstrations of love and charity if the motivation of our hearts is misplaced.
I worked in customer service for years; I know how to put on a happy face. Just the thought of certain people still makes me cringe. They’d walk in the door and I’d turn my back to them, facing my co-workers, moan in pain, turn around and with a big smile say, “Hey, how are doing? Isn’t it a beautiful day? So, what I can I do for you?” They never knew that their mere presence made me gag. But God knew. He saw the confines of my heart, and it certainly wasn’t overflowing with love.
In Psalm 51, David’s prayer of repentance after he was confronted on his sin with Bathsheba, he says, “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts.” All the people of Israel saw was their beloved, righteous king. God saw the sin and deception that were within King David’s heart. Throughout the Old Testament God continually tells Israel that He cannot bear their sacrifices, feasts, fasts, and holy day days when their hearts are far from Him. Isaiah 1 is a particularly poignant chapter. But it doesn’t end in the Old Testament. Jesus was vitriolic when He lambasted the Pharisees for their pseudo-religiosity. But perhaps the one most chilling to me is this:
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent.”
Revelation 2:2-5
Despite their good works and apparent good moral character they had left their first love. Like the church of Sardis, they had a name that they were alive but were really dead. God cannot fix the interior structure of the building if the artificial façade is not taken out of the way first.
“Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:12-14
Application: Today I will give out 3 sincere compliments.
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