SUNDAY 3 April, 2016
Murderous Motives in Mind
And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.” - 2 Samuel 13:23-24
Imagine, Absalom had hatred in his heart for two full years. He was plotting a murder–– he devised a plan to bring all the king’s sons together at Baal Hazor. This was a place eight miles East of Jerusalem, on the property of Absalom, where his sheep shearers were gathered. Sheep shearing was the occasion of a festival. He humbly invited his father the king and his brothers to the feast––but the king was blind to his true motives.
We should always examine our own hearts for our motives. There could be many underlying reasons why we do certain things; often there can be ulterior motives. Why do we invite people over to our homes? Perhaps we want to get close to someone for inside information? Are we trying to develop a friendship to promote ourselves or our own agenda?
Knowing that our hearts have the capacity to do evil, we need to be completely honest with ourselves. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? God knows our hearts and motives:All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives (Proverbs 16:2, NAS).
Determine to keep your heart and your motives pure. Proverbs 4:23 instructs us: Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. The best way to enjoy a happy and blessed life is to guard your heart by being in God’s Word daily (Psalm 1:1).
Man sees your action, but God your motives.
~Thomas à Kempis~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!