Want to listen to this post instead of reading? Play the audio recording below.
Psalm 33:13-15 (NKJV)
13 The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
When we look at others, we only see the exterior – the physical appearance. God, however, sees way more than this. God can see the heart of every man. As Psalm 33:15 (NKJV) tells us: He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
In Jeremiah 23:24 (NKJV) it says: Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord. This means that there is nothing we can say, think, or do that escapes God. God knows everything about us, even our motives. As Hebrews 4:13 (NKJV) tells us: And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Matthew 21:28-31 (NKJV) states: “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.”
From the parable in Matthew 21:28-31, we see that the first son outright declined to do what his father asked him to do. But if we consider the words in Matthew 21:29 (NKJV), it says: but afterward he regretted it and went. Other translations of this verse say he ‘changed’ his mind or that he ‘repented’ of his actions. This son, the first one, considered his wrongdoing and made a turn for the good. The second son, however, accepted to do what his father asked but yet he did not do it.
Whether in words, thoughts, or deeds our lives must bear witness that we are followers of Jesus Christ. For example, Jesus was obedient and did everything God asked Him to do. We must follow Jesus’ example and also be obedient to do what God asks us to do.
If and whenever we fall short of living the life that we should be living, we should never ignore it. We should not make excuses for our actions. And we should not say that someone else is the reason why we cannot stop doing what we are doing. When we do this, it opens the door for us to continue on a spiritually destructive path. Whenever we fall short in our spiritual walk, the right thing to do is to repent of our wrongdoing and make a turn for the good.
No matter the cost, let us live lives where everything about us – our words, our thoughts, our actions, our motives – all testify that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives. No matter the cost, let us live lives aligned with God.
Galatians 5:7-8 (AMP) states: You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth? This [deceptive] persuasion is not from Him who called you [to freedom in Christ].
Except where indicated, scripture references are from the American Standard Version (ASV), Darby Translation (DARBY), or King James Version (KJV) – all public domains.
