What is our heart’s motive for doing anything in our lives? That is a question I believe each one of us should ask ourselves in any given situation.
The closing verse of Psalm 122 teaches us a very important and profound principle, which I believe each of us ought to know and apply to our life. The principle is that whatever we do in our lives, we are to do it for the glory of the Lord, our God.
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor 10:31
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Col 3:17
According to the Scriptures, our hearts’ motivation is to glorify God in all that we think, say, or do; it is all from Him and for Him. Verse 9 of Psalm 122 shows us that even our desire to see goodness in God’s city (our love and support for Israel) should come from a desire to honor God, and for the sake of His Kingdom, and not because of what we can get out of it.
As the year 2014 is about to close, some well-meaning (I believe) ministries who have a call to Israel and are involved in reaching out to the people of Israel have sent various requests for “year end support”. To encourage people to donate, they used the well-known phrase from God’s promise in Genesis 12:3 of blessing those who bless Israel. While I believe in the scriptural principle of receiving a blessing if we bless Israel, I also believe that the purpose of our desire to bless Israel ought to be a desire to honor God, and nothing else.
Friends, please understand my heart; I am not judging these ministries’ motives…that is God’s job. We cannot judge motives. But we can observe actions and draw conclusions about them, as well as use them to reflect upon our own lives. While I commend peoples’ desire to stand with and support Israel, I caution us all to do so simply because it is in line with God’s heart. If a blessing results, that’s a wonderful thing! But the blessing itself cannot be the motivation.
In the same way I am to search my own heart’s motives for all that I do, I am calling each one of you to do the same.
My brothers and sisters, as we begin the year of 2015, let us search our hearts and check our motives for all things; let us be honest with ourselves and seek the Lord for clean hearts. And let us repent before Him for those areas where we are self-motivated and self-seeking. Let whatever we do be for Him, for the sake of His Kingdom, and for His glory alone.
Shabbat Shalom,
Moran
5 Comments on ““For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God, I will seek goodness for you” Psalm 122:9”
Amen! Thanks for sharing, it was both convicting and encouraging…
Dear MORAN.so true, in my beginnings in the lord I too thought that just by blessing Israel or being nice to Jewish people, that’s all that was required., it is not .our motivation is most important. …may Jesus show me in deeper ways that pure way . please be safe and nr yah be safe and have a great! Direction for2015.and HFI staff…..please be blessed. ….
Thsnks Moran. I believe as you . Our only reason for being is to glorify God
This is so true and we should strive to be continually cognizant of 1 Cor 10:31 in our daily walk with God. I like the way the verse relates eating and drinking to bringing glory to God first, then moves out form there to all that we do. This is so practical and when we’re mindful of applying this verse to our basic need to eat and drink, it’s logical that we will be more likely to apply it to whatever we do.
Well said. Convicting words I needed to hear this morning, not just about Israel and why we pray for her, but in every aspect of my life – going through a hard time – so busy and overwhelmed – and I was really starting to get a bad attitude, until I read this and started realizing how far from honoring God I was getting in my thoughts.
May He continue to bless you, Moran, and your lovely family abundantly. You are such a blessing to all of us!. I believe you were what Zac calls a “divine contact” for me this morning, speaking to my heart for Jesus. Thank you.