OUR HEART

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

King James Version

Several years ago, when I lived in Texas, I heard a sermon about the condition of our heart.  The pastor said “You had better be more concerned about what is in your heart and what God sees in your heart than if you are too fat or too skinny.”

That sermon made me very uncomfortable because I had been told so many times that I was fat, ugly and stupid that I was very concerned about how I looked.  The  more I read our Scripture verse for this devotion, the more that I realized that God wasn’t looking at my appearance, He was seeing the bitterness, resentment, hatred and unforgiveness that I had allowed to remain in my heart.

Someone said “I have a right to be angry and he does not deserve to be forgiven”.  You and I didn’t deserve to have our sins forgiven but because God loves us so much He gave His beloved Son to die on the cross so we can be forgiven.

No, \we don’t have any right to allow unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and hatred to stay in our heart.  It’s time we start loving others unconditionally just as Jesus love us.  May God have mercy on us and forgive us for allowing bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness to remain in our heart.

Joanne Lowe

September 5, 2019