Have a Pure Heart
1 Chronicles 28:9 And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy to serve him, because the LORD knows what is in everyone’s heart. He knows what you are thinking. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from him, he will leave you forever.
We’ve all had that experience when someone not only does something for you (as though that weren’t enough) but does it with a good intention, with a pure heart. Isn’t that just the most amazing feeling?
And no doubt you’ve had the complete opposite too, when someone does something for you, but begrudgingly. You may hear it in their words, or sense it in their attitude, or see it in their demeanour. They’ll do the absolute minimum, whereas the one who does it with a good heart will go the extra mile.
That one elevates the experience of their service, while the other diminishes it – virtually cancelling out any benefit from what they’ve done for you. They’re chalk and cheese, aren’t they?
Which is why King David imparts this pearl of wisdom to his son:
1 Chronicles 28:9 And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy to serve him, because the LORD knows what is in everyone’s heart. He knows what you are thinking. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from him, he will leave you forever.
Not only can God hear our words, sense our attitude, see our demeanour … He knows what’s in everyone’s heart. He knows what you’re thinking.
How do we imagine that this God, who’d help us in our hour of need, would react to a stinking attitude on our part, – the sort of attitude that robs our act of service of its meaning, hmm?
Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy to serve him, because the LORD knows what is in everyone’s heart.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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