God knows our hearts

My oldest son called at 7:30 in the morning the day after my birthday. His work didn’t allow time to call the day before. Our youngest bid on dinner as a United Way donation and won it, but it was the same evening as our birthday party, so he called me, but could not join us. I had two birthday meals with our daughter, all this to say I know that all three love me, even though their expression of it was different. In this case, the intent of the heart is more important than what they actually did.

This is true in serving the Lord also. While some commands are universal in their obedience, He gives His people great freedom in our expression of devotion to Him. Some will fast on Fridays; others will feast in celebration of His provision. Some will quit their job if asked to work on Sunday; others will stay at the job and find a place to worship on Saturday evening. Some will venerate certain days; others will not.

Perhaps the Christians at Rome argued about these matters or were judging one another because Paul’s letter to them included a section that my Bible titles, “the law of liberty,” In part, it says:

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14:6-8)

Obviously the Lord is concerned about my motives. Certainly I’m to obey Him in actions, but He wants my reasons for obedience wrapped up in the understanding that I belong to Him and everything I do is for Him. If another Christian is doing something that seems opposite in some way, then I need to remember this. My opinion of their actions isn’t as important as their reasons for what they do. God is looking at the heart.

Even then, there are times when I am not sure about what I am doing. It isn’t sin, but does it please the Lord? These verses may say that I should dedicate my life and service to Him, yet sometimes those doubts make me falter. For that, another passage comes to mind, this time from 1 John.

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. (1 John 3:18-20)

Even though I did the best I could, that uncertainty still happens. As my commentary says, my heart condemns me in that I recognize that I do not measure up to His standard of love. I may even feel insecure in approaching Him. Yet even though my conscience cannot seem to acknowledge if my deeds were done in the power of the Holy Spirit, God knows. And He is superior to my heart. Unlike my conscience, God takes everything into account, including Christ’s atoning work for me.

God is more compassionate and understanding toward me than I sometimes am toward myself. For that same reason, Paul says be care about judging the actions of other Christians. I don’t know their heart. God does and they belong to Him just as I do, therefore I must leave all analysis to Him.