Motives Exposed

I’m so thankful that my motives are not always on display. For the most part, I’m a genuine person, but I must confess that I like what I like, and I want what I want. The problem is having to use someone else to get what I want. That is troubling to me and the Lord is disgusted with that sort of behavior. I’m still growing to be like Christ instead of having a deceitful heart. There is still a part of the “old me” who shows up and acts like an idiot heathen. I am embarrassed about what the Lord knows about me, yet He still gives me grace and He still loves me profoundly. I am so very thankful that He doesn’t love like me. He’s teaching me to love like Him. Check this out….

²⁷ The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,
    exposing every hidden motive. (Proverbs 20:27 NLT)

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to hear what people are thinking. Check that – there are people who don’t edit their thoughts before speaking them aloud. I’ve offered “a penny for your thoughts” but didn’t expect to get the actual thoughts. To trust completely is to be completely honest with thoughts prior to them becoming actions.  I just get frustrated with the thoughts that fly through my mind at times. I know those things hurt God’s heart. He wants better than that for me.  I was reminded of this passage in Jeremiah that sums it up pretty well. Check this out…..

⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.
    Who really knows how bad it is?
¹⁰ But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT)

I definitely deserve death, but because Jesus came, I am forgiven and given life. He took my diseased and deceitful heart and was nailed to the cross. My sins are gone. He creates in me a heart with pure motives and clean thoughts. I needed to be reminded of this today. Grace gives me forgiveness when I deserve punishment. Grace gives me love when I deserve destruction. Grace gives me hope when I deserve death. I’m so glad He came to this earth to seek and save people like me.

I love this song because I understand the desperation of needing Jesus to come.

You Came – Jonathan &  Melissa Helser

Pressing On!

Dwayne