Unity Project Week #5-6

Focusing on the outward appearance is like putting lipstick on a pig.

As we are building the thought of what is the church? As I talk to people, think, and pray I have been struck by how much I still think of “church” in particular Christian Unity from an external perspective. I read a verse that has left me shaken the last couple weeks.

Here it is:

1 Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

I came across this verse in prayer and read it for the first time in the context of the Body of Christ and unity amongst believers in my corner of the world.

We are so quick to show others and The Lord our outward effort in activities and programs and gatherings of various kinds or in efforts of joint cooperation, and all of that is great, but it may or may not have a thing to do with the love of Jesus. Our response to Jesus in our effort is what we focus on, what I am talking about is His initial and continuous pursuit of us. His effort toward us in the ‘unseen’ recesses of our heart, and our internal response to Him.

I challenge you to strip away the activity for a moment and talk to Him about His pursuit of you and your heart today. I think you will find ,as I have, that holding up symbols of your individual or corporate effort will seem small and secondary to His unadulterated, individual, and relentless pursuit of YOUR heart.

He looks on our hearts….we don’t need lipstick. 😉

In love-Damon

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!