Heart View

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance

 or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him;

for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward

appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  (NASB)

     Because Saul (Israel’s first king) had openly defied God’s commands, the LORD told Samuel to anoint a new king for His people.  And like most humans, Samuel was looking at the outward appearance of the men He had to choose from.  Samuel had to go through them all of Joseph’s sons to find God's choice and He was the youngest and the smallest, but David would become a man after God's own heart and Israel's greatest King. 

     We cannot hide or conceal anything from God.  He knows everything about us—He knows what we think and He knows what is in our hearts.  We can deceive other people by our words, looks and behavior, but not so with God.  God knows all of our faults and failures and how wicked and rebellious we are, yet He suffered and died to make us righteous and blameless.  Our Savior searches for the many desperate hearts that are lost in the darkness of this wicked world.  The LORD reaches into the deepest depths of our being and gives most of us many chances to be rescued, even though most of us don’t even realize how desperately we need to be rescued. 

     As part of our fallen human nature, we are all guilty of judging other people by their appearance or mannerisms before we even have the opportunity to know them.  And many times, after we get to know them, we like them, and then find ourselves ashamed of how we pre-judged their character.  How blessed we are that our Living God is not like us, for if He were, we would not have a chance to be redeemed.  If God were to judge us by our looks and actions, we would all be hopelessly lost in the darkness without a clue to our destruction and eternal separation from our awesome God.

                    A Whisper of Hope

Come, My child…to the only One who knows you completely.  I know just what you need and when you need it.  I know when you are lost and confused and searching for answers that you so desperately need.  I know when you are sad and lonely and in dire need of My peace.  I know you inside and out. 

Proverbs 2:6-8

For the LORD grants wisdom! 

     From His mouth come

               knowledge and understanding. 

He grants a treasure of good sense

               to the godly. 

     He is their shield, protecting those

               who walk with integrity. 

He guards the paths of justice and

     protects those who are faithful

               to Him.  (NLT)

         For You formed my inward parts;

    You wove me in my mother’s womb.

                  (Psalm 139:13)