We're thrilled to give you a preview of the latest installment of this devotional series on Re-discovering Proverbs. This a great devotional that your choir or worshipt team can do over the summer to prepare for the fall season. Enjoy this sample, and if you want the rest (and are an Unlimited Member), just follow the link at the bottom. Enjoy!
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WEEK 1 - THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Proverbs 15: 1-12
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Death and Destruction lie open before the LORD – how much more the hearts of men! (Proverbs 15: 11)
It's probably a good thing that we can't really judge the motives of another person. That way, we can at least offer them the benefit of the doubt when they act or speak irrationally or offensively.
Most of the time, however, we tend to presume we actually know their motives. Inevitably, this leads to all kinds of presuppositions which then furthers the cycle of suspicion and distrust. Not a very encouraging way to begin a devotional thought, is it? It's also a pretty lousy way to go through life.
Here's the heart of the matter – God sees the motives of those around us even when we don't. In fact (and this is a little sobering), God sees our motives even when we hide them or don't even fully recognize them ourselves.
At the end of the day, it's really none of our business what someone else's motives are. That's not between us and them; it's between them and God. What is our business, however, is what motivates us to do or say whatever it is we do or say. The sad reality is that we can't confidently trust our feelings, and Jeremiah reminds us that “the heart is deceitful above all things” (see Jeremiah 17: 9 – 10).
So, what do we do with all this? We surrender our heart to the One who created it. We commit our will to the One who designed it. We forfeit our motives to the only cause that matters … the glory of God.
Discuss...
- Do you often question others' motives while defending your own?
- Do you ever find yourself hiding your motives?
- What motives do you bring to worship?
Download the full 15-week devotional series HERE!
(Available to Unlimited Members only)
