A Heart After God

Grace and peace be unto you.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37).

When God looks at our heart, what does he see? A consistent desire to please him, or a desire to please our carnal nature? The truth is that, he is more interested in our thoughts and desires than our outward appearance.   

The story is told that God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king. Hence, Samuel went to Bethlehem, organized a sacrifice to the Lord, and invited Jesse and his sons. When he saw Jesse’s first son, Eliab, he thought he was the chosen one. But the Lord informed him that he was rejected. He further added that he does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but he looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:1-7).

The world is interested in our outward appearance. It cares very little about good thoughts and desires. Sadly, some of us have embraced the world’s standards and invested time in presenting an acceptable outward appearance, while our carnal nature remains unchanged. Consequently, Christ’s Image is not evident in our life. In some instances, our private and public life are as different as day from night. This ought not to be so; God desires that our life consistently reflects his love.   

What does a heart after God looks like? This unique heart is evident when we:

1. Put away ungodly desires and actions.

2. Spend quality time in God’s presence.

3. Obey God’s commands.

4. Walk in our divine purpose.

Heavenly Father, thanks for your grace and love. Give us a heart that desires to do your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Additional Resource: The Heart of God: Follow His Plan. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0931WSF59