Heart of Flesh

Originally published on April 30, 2012

"I will give you a new heart 

and put a new spirit in you;

I will remove from you

your heart of stone

and give you a heart of flesh."

Ezekiel 36:26

September has always been a special month for me.  Not only is it the month of my birth, but as a child and even as a homeschool mother, I always enjoyed the beginning of the new school year.  The preparation for the upcoming year brought a sense of hope and excitement to my days as I purchased new clothing and supplies, preparing myself for the challenges that lay ahead.

As the first day of school approached during my junior high and high school years, I would organize my notebook, making new dividers and filling it with fresh paper and pencils.  I then would turn my attention to my attire, deciding which outfit I would wear for the first day.  Often, I would get a pair of new shoes and somehow, this made me feel like a brand new person tackling a brand new school year.  

In the same way that my fresh, never-before-worn clothes and virgin pencils groomed me for the new classes I was about to face, the new heart of flesh that God has given me through faith in Jesus Christ prepares me for living my life as a member of the family of God.

Empowered Obedience

A friend of mine recently gave a great visual of the battle that occurs between my spirit and God's Spirit as described in Galatians 5:17.  "The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." 

My friend likened this contrariness, this conflict to a tug-of-war between me and God. As God's Spirit moves me in His direction, my flesh pulls back against Him, pulling me in the opposite direction. The only way for me to go in God's direction is for me to stop pulling and let Him lead me.  If I drop the rope altogether, giving up the fight and surrendering my will to Him, I can freely walk along with Him.  

As one who has been provided through Christ with a tender and responsive heart (Ezekiel 36:26), I am given the ability to withstand the temptation to do things my way.  The grace of God which constantly flows through me from His indwelling Spirit empowers me to, "offer the parts of (my) body to him as instruments of righteousness.  For sin shall not be (my) master, because (I) am not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:13-14)  Either I choose to give myself over to the pull of God, or the influence of sin.  

Each time I sense the tug of God leading me in His direction, there will be the temptation for my flesh to fight against Him.  But thanks to God's grace abundantly found in my life and manifested through His Son's death on the cross, I have the option and ability to drop the rope, giving in to God's will.  When I submit, the fruit of the Spirit are produced and there is no law against these things! 

I don't have to try harder to be good and please God, rather I have to nail, "the passions and desires of (the) sinful nature to his cross and (crucify) them there."  (Galatians 5:24 NLT) Or, as 17th Century Puritan preacher Peter Bulkeley said, "If God be God over us, we must yield him universal obedience in all things.  He must not be over us in one thing, and under us in another, but he must be over us in everything."  

I am empowered to obey by the grace of God when I submit to Him and allow Him to lead me.

Godly Devotion

Our neighbors own a huge German Shepherd who looks quite intimidating but who is actually a big baby.  He's gentle, calm and pretty laid back. . . until his owner brings out the beloved tennis ball.  Then he turns into the fetching machine, never taking his eyes of the yellow orb.  Nothing can distract him from the job at hand; squirrels, food, other dogs, they all fade into the background as the ball takes center stage, monopolizing his attention.  He's all about his ball.

In the same way, I am called to be wholly devoted to God.  He may allow a variety of attractive belief systems or alluring distractions to come my way in order to test me "to find out whether (I) love him with all (my) heart and with all (my) soul.  It is the LORD (my) God (I) must follow, and him (I) must revere.  Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him."  (Deuteronomy 13:3-4)

This kind of devotion comes with maturity as we progressively work toward, "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."  (Ephesians 4:13-14)  Growing in my walk with God means I will gradually become more Christ-like, little-by-little gaining an immunity to distractions.  The goal is to become like my neighbor's dog; all about my God!

As I cultivate my personal relationship with God through faith in Christ, I will increasingly develop my devotion for Him and Him alone.

Spontaneous Love

Have you ever tried really hard to love someone, especially someone who is particularly prickly?  I have. . . and it doesn't work.  I just don't have it in me to love like God loves me!  

I like the way Oswald Chambers put it in his entry for April 30th in My Utmost for His Highest:  "Love is not premeditated, it is spontaneous, i.e., it bursts up in extraordinary ways.  There is nothing of mathematical certainty in Paul's category of love.  We cannot say--'Now I am going to think no evil; I am going to believe all things.'  The characteristic of love is spontaneity.  We do not set the statements of Jesus in front of us as a standard; but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without knowing it, and on looking aback we are amazed at the disinterestedness of a particular emotion, which is the evidence that the spontaneity of real love was there.  In everything to do with the life of God in us, its nature is only discerned when it is past."

It is not my effort that produces a loving attitude or loving acts, rather it is in extension of God's Spirit working through me.  "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."  (Romans 5:5)

As I let God's Spirit have it's way in me, I will find that the irritation I used to experience when dealing with a certain difficult personality has vanished and in it's place is patience and gentleness.

When I let go and let God, it will become apparent that my previous penchant for perfection and high expectations for others' actions has been replaced by a desire to let go of past failures and to always hope, believing with faith that things will get better.

If I follow God where He leads, I will soon see that circumstances and situations that used to anger me and send me into a tailspin now have no affect on me.  My blood does not boil and I'm no longer compelled to chew someone out, defending my position.  

Love comes as a natural extension of God Spirit as He becomes greater and I become less and will show up unprompted in ways I can't explain.  

God is the craftsman of my new heart.  Only He can, "Create in me a clean heart. . . and renew a right spirit within me."  (Psalm 51:10)  And with this heart of flesh I am empowered to obey God, to be wholly devoted to Him and to love spontaneously.  In this way, I am growing "in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church."  (Ephesians 4:15 NLT)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will let go and let God have His way in my life this moment.

When do I insist on having my way, thus preventing God to love others through me?

How do I hang onto my own desires, refusing to nail them to the cross?

Inner Life

"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop,

and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

Psalm 51:5-7 ESV

I have a friend who always used to say, "As long as the yard looks nice the beds can be unmade and the dishes stacked in the sink," meaning that having the pretense of success as a housekeeper is all a matter of strategy: Focus on what everyone will see and they'll never know what lies undone inside.

While this is a fine, low-stress tactic to keeping house, I can't use that same approach with my life, although I often try.  Sometimes, I focus on keeping the outward appearance looking clean and tidy, but neglect the mess inside.

Which matters most to God, the outside or what no one else can see?

Truth.  Naturally, I am God's enemy; a child of "God's wrath and heir to His indignation." (Ephesians 2:3)  This is not to say that I am not inherently valuable to Him, because I'm worth more than diamonds or rubies in His eyes.  It's just that my sin makes it impossible for Him to live as He so desires; in relationship with me.  And it's not just the things I do or fail to do that drives Him away from me, it is my very nature, my flesh, that drives a wedge between me and Him.  In other words, there's nothing I can do to repair the breach that exists between me and the One who loves me best.  I'm desperately estranged from my Father.

To know the seriousness of my sin and how it's nothing I can help or change is important to the state of my heart.  Without understanding of my total depravity, my inability to rise to the occasion of living a righteous life, I will never realize my desperate need for Jesus.  Apart from Him, I'm doomed to destruction.  Through faith in Him, my position in God's family as His child is restored, and I'm forgiven.

Once I get how lost I am, I can place my weight fully upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ to save me.  And then I will be free from the guilt that so easily weighs my inner self down.  I'll be liberated from my secret ambition to prove myself as worthy.  I can walk away from the old way of thinking that I don't belong because in Christ, I do.

The first step to focusing on my inner self that matters most to God, I must face the truth about my sinful flesh.

Scrutiny.  I spend time examining my schedule, squeezing in extra time here, and eliminating waste there.  I scrutinize my shortfalls, criticizing myself relentlessly.  I take my job seriously, always seeking to improve the way I do things.  But do I take this same ability to analyze and apply it to my heart?  Rarely.

As Socrates is known to have said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."  While this Greek philosopher may have had a different kind of examination in mind, God does want me to pay attention to what is going on inside, what drives me, and what makes me tick.  While I may have some insight into my inner workings, only God is truly "acquainted with all my ways."  (Psalm 139:3)

Consequently, I would be wise to take on the practice David demonstrated in Psalm 139:23 when He opened himself up to God, asking Him to "Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!"  Allowing God to come in and test my motivations, examine my heart, and then show me where I'm off will lead to growth and greater intimacy with the One who knows me best and loves me fully.

Only God can scrutinize my heart in a way that doesn't condemn but delivers inner peace and fosters spiritual growth.

Secret.  It's always fun to have a secret between friends; an inside joke that is shared between two people that care about each other.  Maybe it's because this speaks to my desire to belong, or my need to be known and still accepted, but sharing secrets can be a bonding experience.

God desires to share a secret with me. He knows me perfectly and loves me wholly.  With His wisdom, he wants to give me insight into why I am the way I am, and how I can grow in my faith.  It's like I have the opportunity for private lessons between me and my Maker.  What could be better than this?

God is a nurturing Father who is constantly at work encouraging me in my baby steps, stretching me gently in new ways, and leading me slowly down fresh paths.  He whispers words that lovingly chastise my attitude or introduce effective tactics for solving problems.  He personally shows me how He wants me to live, if I would only pay attention to His gentle prodding and instruction.

Once I let God into my heart, He will teach me secret lessons meant only for me.

God doesn't so much care about my outward appearance, my actions, or my religious attention to following the rules.  Even if I look really good on the outside, He is only going to concern Himself with what goes on inside.  Consequently, I must face the truth of my sinful nature, let God examine my heart, and cooperate with His private lessons.  In these ways, my inner life will please God much more than any effort I can make to clean up the outside.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let Him in.

When do I pretend to be who I think God wants me to be, never letting Him see the real me?

How am I afraid to be authentic with God?

Inward Focus

"Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas

to the palace of the Roman governor.

By now it was early morning,

and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness

the Jews did not enter the palace;

they wanted to be able to eat the Passover."

John 18:28

They were so concerned with their own holiness.  They went to great pains to study God's law, interpret it, create rules to help others follow it and supervise the adherence to it.   Their devotion to God's law was astounding.

Many looked up to these Jewish leaders as the epitome of godliness.  Most thought they were the ones to emulate.  It was assumed these men knew God Himself, so holy were they.  Unfortunately, the people of Israel who believed these things about their leaders were wrong.  Jesus said to these same men, "If you knew me, you would know my Father also." (John 8:19)

If they had paid more attention to the One who wrote the laws instead of obsessing over the law itself, God would have opened their eyes to the Messiah.  Instead, they found themselves fighting against God and being used by Him to fulfill scripture regarding Jesus. (Isaiah 6:9-10, John 12:37-41)

In the same way, I can get caught up in religious ritual, timeless tradition, and stubborn beliefs.  When I make these my god, I forsake the One who died a criminal's death on the cross so that I might get to know my Creator.  Instead of walking with Him throughout my day, I spend my time trying to figure out how to please Him, working on my character so that I can look more like Jesus, or doing things that seem like godly activities in which to take part.  When I do follow Him, however, He leads me down paths of righteousness for His namesake. (Psalm 23:3)

From the outside, I may look holy and godly, just like the Jewish leaders, but God holds an inward focus.  How do I stack up inside?

Heart

She tried so hard to worship God.  Looking around her on Sunday morning, she mimicked the behavior of those deemed acceptable and who looked like they had it all figured out.  They told her to just let go and allow God's Spirit to well up inside of her; to free her body to praise God in however He leads.  She tried, but somehow she never felt what they described.  She must be doing something wrong.  She loved God but she felt like a failure.  Why can't I just worship Him?

God is meant to be worshiped with my whole being in the way I live my life. (Romans 12:1) Since God is the lover of my heart, He doesn't care so much about what I do, what I wear, where I go or who I befriend.  His focus is not on the outward appearance, but on what is going on inside my heart.  He wants me to be so attentive to Him that I don't care how it looks on the outside.

To some it may appear I'm falling away from God because I stopped coming to Bible study to make time to hang out with drug addicts, I started bringing questionable characters with me to church on Sundays, and I got a tattoo.  

These believers may judge me, thinking that I'm turning away from God and trying to make it seem like I'm still following Christ.  In reality, God is leading me to reach out to "sinners" by frequenting places unbelievers hang out.

In Matthew 15:9, Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah in criticizing the wrong focus of the "church people."  He said, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men." (Isaiah 29:13)  God desires my heart to be fully devoted to Him.  This doesn't mean I must be perfect, only that wanting to know Him and follow Him would be my greatest longing.

I must be warned, however, that when I start letting God transform my mind and mold my way of thinking, I will look strange to everyone else.  Only those whose hearts are aligned with God will understand; everyone else will try to talk me out of the path I'm taking, telling me that I'm off.  As Peter said to the Sanhedrin, "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29)

In order to avoid the trap of shallow worship, I must devote my heart to knowing and being known by Jesus.

Cleanliness

I have noticed lately my country's obsession with cleanliness.  There are constantly new products on the market to kill bacteria, fight fungus and stop the spread of germs.  We are encouraged to clean the old-fashioned way, clean with new-fangled gadgets, or clean the easy way.  Whichever method I choose, I'm getting the message that clean is good.

While they're is nothing wrong with cleaning, I find it interesting that people are so passionate about outward cleanliness but have no problem with all the filth that penetrates the hearts in their homes.  Network television is filled with shows that degrade families, promote pornography, encourage promiscuity and endorse the gay lifestyle.  The Internet is widely accessible in most homes and filled with garbage that is embraced as entertainment.  

The minds of most Americans are constantly bombarded with dirt.  As Angus Jones, actor who plays "Jake" in Two and a Half Men and recently went public with his belief that a true God-fearing person cannot be on a television show like that, said, "Please stop watching it.  Please stop filling your head with filth."

If I want to be truly concerned with my cleanliness, I must be concerned with what goes in, not just what's on the exterior. (Proverbs 4:23)  I can't just look good on the outside.  When David confessed his sin against God in taking Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, as his own, he cried out to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)  

It's not enough to look good, but a heart devoted to Jesus will be changed and grow sensitive to sin.  When this begins to happen, I'll only desire things that honor God instead of being willing to allow filth into my heart.  My motives will be pure, dropping the ulterior motive of my own comfort, pleasure and entertainment and be completely concerned with pleasing and honoring God.

In order to avoid the trap of focusing only on appearances, I must let Jesus guard my heart as the wellspring of life.  

Holiness

Some people believe it is possible to live a life free from sin.  They think God's Spirit enables me to live a holy and pure life.  Oswald Chambers says of this, "The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them.  There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ.  All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. . .Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else. . . The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally."

I am not called to be holy for my own purposes.  I am called to live in obedience to His Spirit who is within me so that I can glorify God.  I resemble His character when I'm dedicated to Him, not to my own sanctification.  Chambers shed some light on the difference when he said, "The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ."

When I see someone suffering who has been ostracized by the medical community and other believers as "crazy," Jesus compels me to reach out and comfort.  When I am drawn to a group of cursing, drinking teens, Jesus compels me to share His love.  When my neighbors' children are out of control, Jesus compels me to offer support.

A focus on my own character development would not drive me toward these uncomfortable situations.  Only a devotion to Jesus Himself would give me the desire to do these kinds of acts as I'm more concerned with God's glory than my own reputation or status.

In order to avoid the trap of being driven by a quest for personal holiness, I must be more concerned with the glory of God. 

Religion requires an outward focus and is an empty, bottomless pit filled with traps of all kinds.  Three I must avoid as I follow Jesus are worshiping superficially, cleaning outwardly, and seeking to improve my own reputation.  Instead, I can live with the desire to please God in all things, protect my heart from the filth of this world, and seek glory for God alone.  In so doing, I will discover the joy in walking at peace with Jesus.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my focus inward instead of only concerning myself with how things look on the outside.

How do I clean up the outside, but neglect to protect my heart from filth?

When am I more concerned with my own entertainment than in protecting me and my family from things that dishonor God?

Give it All

"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus,

and turning to them he said:

'If anyone comes to me

and does not hate his father and mother,

his wife and children,

his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--

he cannot be my disciple.

And anyone who does not carry his cross

and follow me cannot be my disciple. . .

In the same way,

any of you who does not give up everything he has

cannot be my disciple.'"

Luke 14:25-27, 33

He loved God and followed His commands all of his life.  He spent much of his time studying God's law and putting it into practice.  He wanted so much to please God and live forever with Him.  When the man heard that Jesus the Messiah was close by, he took the chance to find out the answer to his question.

"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus answered just how he expected; "Keep the commandments."

"Well, I've done that since I was a boy!"

Jesus knew this was a man who took His Father's law seriously.  "There is one more thing;  Give all you have away to the poor and come follow me."

He couldn't believe He would ask such a thing.  Give away all of His riches?  How foolish and risky that would be!  What would he and his family live on?  No. . .that is too much to ask.. . I just can't do it. (Mark 10:17-31)

It's easy to sympathize with the young rich ruler.  He had it all but he didn't live for his own comfort, as is so common to do.  Instead, he tried to live his life in a way that pleased God.  All he wanted was the assurance of God's acceptance of his offerings.  Unfortunately, he went away sad because Jesus asked for more than he was willing to give.  The young man wanted to please God only if it came on his own terms.  He would try to do his best for God, but only if he could decide the means he would use.

I am so like this young man.  My heart desires to please God, but there are certain places I won't go, specific things I won't give up, or particular people I want by my side.  If, however, I truly want to delight in the Lord, I must be prepared to give it all.

My Heart

Mother Teresa, a tireless servant of Jesus Christ who worked with the lowest of the low in the slums of Calcutta, India said, "A clean heart is a free heart.  A free heart can love Christ with an undivided love in chastity, convinced that nothing and nobody will separate it from his love."  This is how she was able to do the unthinkable: care for lepers, love the unlovable, nurse the hopeless.  Her heart was entirely devoted to Jesus, loving Him in the way she gave attention to the lost and suffering of this world.

When David prayed for God to, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me," (Psalm 51:10) he was committing himself back to the One he loved above all else.  He was throwing himself at God's mercy, knowing that He alone could rid him of all that distracts his heart from His true Love.  Only Jesus can capture my heart in such a way that my passion is for Him alone.

Many times, however, the trappings of this world, the worries that threaten to overtake me, or my inner drive to make a name for myself can take away from my One True Love.  How many times is my heart tainted with other than pure devotion to God?

What am I unwilling to give up for Jesus.  Which parts of my heart am I retaining for my own purposes and pleasure?  I could secretly want some recognition for the good things that I do.  Maybe it's hard for me to act selfishly, where there's no pay off for me.  It's likely that my heart is more devoted to my comfort than to following God's calling on my life.

Whatever I find to be the holdup, I must realize and accept that a pure heart is free from anything selfish that would keep me from following Jesus without hesitation.

If I want to delight the Lord, I will be ready to give my whole heart to Jesus.

My Mind

There are problems to solve, past conversations to analyze, blame to place, plans to make, work to perform, hurts to examine, revenge to plan and behavior to understand.  My mind is a battlefield, and if I want to have any chance of winning that fight, I will need to power of God to help me change the focus from me to Him.  

Even though there is much to capture the attention of my thoughts, it is possible to use my mind in a way that shows love and respect for God.  The Apostle Paul teaches me to focus my thoughts on things that will please God.  He says in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anythings is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

Virtuous and commendable thoughts are those that dwell on all the good that God is doing, not on all the problems and difficult circumstances that He allows for my good.  A friend of mine says that our words, spoken or thought, "create life or death.  Look at every problem as an opportunity for God to show Himself in ways unimaginable."  My life would change immensely if I viewed conflict or suffering as a way for God to display His mighty power instead of as a hardship.

Dwelling on the difficulties that come my way by asking myself Why does everything have to happen to me? or wondering, Great; what else can happen to make my life even worse than it already is? is counteractive to my faith in God.  Joyce Meyer talks about God's purposes for the hard things or difficult tasks He brings my way.  She said, "God doesn't tell you to do hard things so He can stand back and laugh and watch you struggle.  He tells you to do the things He knows are gonna work out to your good in the end." (Romans 8:28)  Keeping my mind focused on the good that will come out of the bad is pleasing to God.  

In addition, my thoughts not only can look negatively on my circumstances, but also on my own self.  When I think negatively about certain aspects of my character, I am tearing apart one of God's image-bearers: Me.  For instance, I have the habit of saying or thinking that I have a big mouth.  Thankfully, a friend of mine recently corrected my thinking.  She said, "You are assertive and can see the what needs to be done.  You speak up for others in a way that they cannot do for themselves."  When she put it like that, I instantly could feel myself sit up a bit straighter and my thinking began to turn more positive.  Putting myself down is not humility, it is showing a disregard for God's grand design.

No matter how strongly my thoughts naturally turn toward the negative, a mind dedicated to Jesus will be transformed into a mind that pleases God.

My Will

My will is defined by Merriam-Webster as, "a disposition to act according to principles or ends."  In other words, my will is what gives me the drive to make a decision.  This determination or resolve can work toward my favor and support my desires, or it can push me closer to Christ.  When my will yields to Christ, I will act in a way that pleases God.  When, however, my will is solely set on me and my wishes, then I'm only gratifying myself.

Thankfully, God is not a bully who breaks my will and forces me to obey Him.  He sends situations and hard times into my life to help me to see those parts of me of which I must let go in order to come to Jesus as I am, ready to let Him work through me.  Fear, worry, anxiety and doubt are obstacles that get in the way of my access to Him.  God, however, never gives up on me.  He compassionately and relentlessly pursues me with His persistent love, guiding me in the way I can go, if I will only choose.

Allowing God to have access to my life comes only with my blessing.  He will not force Himself upon me, but waits to be invited.  As Jesus said in Revelation 3:20 ESV, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

A closer relationship with Jesus that goes beyond a Savior/Saved association, must be initiated by me.  I must desire to make Him Lord of my life.  As Oswald Chambers explained regarding those things to keep me from giving Jesus lordship, "The Holy Spirit will locate the one impregnable thing in you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him."

My will is the one thing that can get in the way of Jesus having full ownership of my life.  Sure, there are sin struggles, fleshly strongholds and other barriers; but all of those can be removed by Jesus.  I, however, must permit Him access to my life.

As strong as my will may be, it is only possible to please God is I am agreeable to give ultimate sovereignty over my life to Him.

Simply wanting to please God on my own terms is not enough.  I must be willing to give my whole heart to Jesus, dedicate my mind to thoughts that please Him, and give Him complete access to my life.  In these ways I will do what the eager, young rich ruler would not do: Follow Jesus.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep my thought life turned toward the good things God is doing.

How does my heart betray my true focus?

When do I unintentionally set my will against God?

Driving Force

"May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD,

my Rock and my Redeemer."

Psalm 19:14

I watched as the bird flitted around in the bushes, singing a song of praise to the One Who made him.  He jumped into the bird bath, relishing the cold water as he splashed and ruffled his downy attire.  Feathers fluttered and wings waved as the created glorified the Creator by behaving as he was meant to live.   

It's so easy for me to get caught up in living my life for me, in a way that pleases myself and depending on my own abilities and strength.  After all, that is how the world around me exists.  But I am not of the world.  I live here, but this is not my home!  As a follower of Christ, I belong to Him and His family.  Like the bird who was created to bring glory to the Creator in the way he lives His life, so I am made to live for Him.  

The driving force of my life could be to succeed by the world's standard, cultivating a successful and meaningful career, marrying and having 2.5 children, a couple of cars in the garage and a mortgage to boot.  Or, the thing that compels me and inspires me to continue on could be to live as God intended me to live when He first created me.

My Motivation

Businesses hire motivational speakers to inspire and drive workers toward a goal of pulling together to improve their performance and enhance the bottom line.  They often use stories of those who have survived unspeakable tragedies and came away with a renewed sense of purpose. 


Most of these kind of motivations for living a meaningful and fruitful life can be quite powerful, but temporary at best.  The drive to be the best I can be fades as the pivotal experience disappears from the reflection found in my rear view mirror.  The influence of the past on my future is limited.


Even my work for the Lord can start to shift toward a worldly campaign.  I can start assessing my success or failure based on statistics or production.  In this way I lose focus with that is important: pleasing God.  


As Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest, "Never court anything other than the approval of God. . . We have a commercial view--so many souls saved and sanctified, thank God, now it is all right. . . Salvation and sanctification are the work of God's sovereign grace; our work as His disciples is to disciple lives until they are wholly yielded to God.  One life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God than one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit."  


If my goal is to triumph in the eyes of the world, I will be driven by the need to achieve.  But if my aim is to please God, I will perceive things from a godly point-of-view, focusing on the things that are important to God.   


David understood this principle; the motivation for most of his life was to win God's heart.  This showed most poignantly after he realized and repented of his sin with Bathsheba.  He knew the evil things that he had done were committed against God himself.  Then he prayed, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  (Psalm 51:10)


For all those months he had been living to please himself, and his actions, his words, his heart were all an abomination to God.  As he came back to a right relationship with his Father, he knew that his highest desire must return to what it was before: to please God and God alone.


If the driving force of my life is to bring delight to my Lord, then the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart will be pleasing to Him. 

My Help

I remember this huge boulder in my neighbors yard when I was growing up.  It was said to have come from Mt. Rainier, a dormant volcano which loomed in my childhood skyline.  The nice couple that lived next door allowed me and my friends to play on the giant rock.  We would dig little caves underneath for our dolls, or make homes for ourselves between the trees and the hardness of the stone.  Sometimes we'd climb up on top and imagine ourselves to be explorers of a new region, setting our eyes on the fertile landscape for the first time.  We loved that rock. 

It's kind of like God in my life.  He is the fortress where I can take shelter from the harshness of the world.  When the going gets tough, I can find refuge in Him, like a safe haven that goes with me wherever I go.  During the times when flaming arrows of life are hurling toward me, He stands between me and the danger, keeping me from harm.  He is the strength that saves me.  (Psalm 18:2) 

I am often tempted to find help in other places.  I run to my friends or family, asking them for advice and guidance.  I expect my husband to always protect me.  I am hurt when friends don't provide the safe place I am looking for, instead pointing a finger and tell me where I'm wrong.  I try to find comfort and shelter in the pursuit of my hobbies, the affection of my pets or the satisfaction of a job well done.  Eventually, they all fall short.  I still need help.  

As the psalmist reminds me in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."  Instead of going to other sources for my support, I need look no further than God.  He is always ready to help, whenever I am ready to receive.

If I look to other things for my source of help, then I will leave myself vulnerable.  If, instead, I trust in God as my ever-present source of help, then I will stand strong as a mighty oak.  

My Inspiration

Job was given a raw deal.  He lived his life in a way that please God, but the Lord allowed Satan to test him, giving him one heartbreak after another.  In one day he lost all of his children and all of his possessions in a series of unprovoked attacks and tragedies. As if this weren't enough, he was then inflicted with a horrible skin disease that covered his entire body.  Job suffered greatly.

Despite all this pain and anguish, Job did not blame God.  He lamented, he mourned, he questioned the purpose of his existence, but he didn't point the finger at His Creator.  How was he able to carry on?  The answer lies in Job 19:25-27 when he proclaimed, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!"  

The hope that inspired Job to drive on, day after day as he sat in pain and suffering, was that the One who had bought him from certain death was alive and he would one day see Him face to face.  This can be our hope as well. 

Jesus made a way for me to live forever with Him when he took the punishment meant for me and my sin.  In this way, God bought me back from slavery to sin and the indebtedness I carried against Him.  I have been redeemed.  And because of this, I have hope for my future.

If the hope I have for life eternal through faith in Jesus is my inspiration, then I can endure any calamity or circumstance God brings my way.

God intends me to live in a way that glorifies Him.  But I can't do that when I am distracted by all the desires, temptations and difficulties that come my way.  If, instead, I focus on pleasing God as my motivation, trusting in Him as my help, and remembering the hope I have to give me inspiration, then I will please God as the birds do. 

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can strive to please God and make that my driving force.

How do I find my motivation in other areas besides in pleasing God?

When do I take shelter in the arms of others instead of in my Rock? 

The Masterpiece

"Teach me your ways, O LORD,

that I may live according to your truth!

Grant me purity of heart,

so that I may honor you.

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.

I will give glory to your name forever,

for your love for me is very great.

You have rescued me from the depths of death."

Psalm 86:11-13 NLT

I have never understood gun-control laws.  I am not a gun enthusiast or a hunter.  In fact, I have never fired a gun in my life.  What I don't understand, however, is the concept that guns kill people.  If that were the case, I would be all for banning guns from the face of the earth.

The fact of the matter is that people kill people, and even if guns did not exist, people bent on killing will find a way to kill.  The problem is not the weapon . . . the problem is the heart.

It's the same with God's ways.  If I try to do what I think I should do according to His Word, I will probably fail.  As Joni Eareckson Tada said, "No tool, in and of itself, has great importance.  But placed in the proper hands it can create a masterpiece."  

If I allow God to teach me His ways using the tools he chooses to use in my life (trials, tests, difficulties. . . ), then He will create a masterpiece.  

When I am frustrated by the lack of progress in my spiritual walk, the problem is not the truth I find in the Bible. . . the problem is my heart.

Purity of Heart

During the refining process, gold is subjected to high temperatures and caustic agents in order to remove impurities.  God does the same thing with my heart so that He can remove everything that gets in the way of focusing on Him: Pride, lust, selfish ambition, envy, jealousy, etc.

To discover the location of my heart, I need only figure out what is important to me.  Jesus said, ". . .where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  (Luke 12:34)  Do I value making myself look good?  Am I concerned with defending my position?  Is rising to the top of the corporate ladder my goal in life?  Or do I strive to obtain all the things I ever wanted so that I can live comfortably, thinking that, after all I deserve it.   I've worked hard my whole life!

The New International Version uses the phrase "undivided heart" in Psalm 86:11.  My heart is constantly carved up between different desires.  Sure, I want to please God, but I also want to have what my friend has, or enjoy a comfortable life that satisfies my desires, or be the best in my field.  My heart is divided.

The only heart that honors God is a pure, undivided heart.  And the only way my heart will be purified is if I put it in the Master's hands for purification.  As David said in Psalm 51:10 NLT, "Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me."

How is God attempting to purify my heart through circumstances in my life?  Am I submitting to His purification process?

Wholeheartedness  

The Pharisees, Sadducees and Teachers of the Law during Jesus time were always trying to trip Him up, testing Him time and again.  One smart little fellow tried to trap him with this question.  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" (Matthew 22:36)  He was probably snickering to himself as he thought of the impossibility of answering that query.

Then Jesus blew his mind while revealing the crux of the Law.  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (v37)

Wholeheartedness leaves no room for insincerity.  A heart wholly committed to God is open, truthful and not at all hypocritical.  If I truly want to worship God in the way I live my life, I can't hide things from Him.  I can't pretend everything is okay when in reality I am struggling.  I can't hold back my feelings from Him, thinking that it will anger Him or that He'll be disappointed.  He wants my whole heart. . . scars and all!

There's no sense hiding things from a God who knows me better than I know myself. . .and loves me anyway! 

Tender Heart

In order to enjoy a tender and succulent steak, some tenderizing is necessary for most cuts of meat.  The meat fibers can be broken down physically, by using a mallet, or chemically with a marinade.  Either way, tough muscle fibers need to be broken apart so that the finished product will turn out juicy and tender.

This is not much different than my heart.  Even though I cannot take a meat mallet to my heart, I can work to break down some of the muscle fibers; the things that make me think I'm pretty strong in myself.  

Some of these "muscle fibers" include my pride which makes me want to be right all the time, or my sense of independence, or my desire to look good to others.   Holding on to these attitudes and desires can drive me to try to impress God with a holy life instead of laying myself before Him as a broken and contrite offering.

David said it well in Psalm 51:16-17 (MSG).  He was at a place in his life where he had realized the great sin he had committed against God and he was suddenly aware of the hardness of his own heart.  He said, "Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you.  I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.  Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice."

Just as a tenderized steak is juicy and succulent to the taste buds, so is a broken and contrite heart a joy to our Father.  Only then will I be able to truly receive the great love God has for me.

A hardened heart cannot receive the gift of love God has bestowed upon me.

I can try to do what I think I should do on my own, or I can place myself in the Masters hands and allow him to purify my heart, give me the courage to be completely open and honest with Him, and tenderize my heart.  Only then will His love saturate my being, changing my life forever.  

God can create a masterpiece out of the most hopeless of lives. . . if only He is given the chance.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will trust God enough to give Him my heart.

How do I hold feelings back from God, mistakenly thinking He won't love me anymore if He knows the truth?

What divides my heart and keeps it from being completely devoted to God?