What other scriptures highlight the importance of intentions in serving God? Intentions Celebrated in 1 Kings 8:18 “Yet the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you did well to have this desire.’” God openly commends David not for the stone and timber he might gather, but for what was “in [his] heart.” The verse spotlights the way God values intention even when the deed itself is left to another. Old Testament Witnesses to Motive • 1 Samuel 16:7 — “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” • Proverbs 16:2 — “All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed by the LORD.” • Jeremiah 17:10 — “I, the LORD, search the heart; I test the mind, to reward a man according to his way…” • Psalm 139:23-24 — “Search me, O God, and know my heart… lead me in the everlasting way.” • 2 Chronicles 25:2 — “Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.” • Micah 6:6-8 — External offerings are meaningless without doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. Jesus Intensifies the Heart Emphasis • Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 — Giving, praying, and fasting lose their reward when done “to be seen by men.” • Matthew 15:8-9 — “This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” • Mark 12:41-44 — The widow’s two small coins outshine the large gifts of the wealthy because her heart is fully surrendered. • Luke 11:39-41 — Clean cups on the outside mean nothing if greed and wickedness remain within. • Luke 16:15 — “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.” New-Covenant Calls to Pure Intentions • 1 Corinthians 4:5 — The Lord “will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.” • 2 Corinthians 9:7 — “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart… for God loves a cheerful giver.” • Colossians 3:22-24 — Serve “not only to please men, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.” • 1 Timothy 1:5 — “The goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” • Hebrews 4:12-13 — The word of God “judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” • James 4:3 — “Even when you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives.” • 1 Peter 1:22 — “Love one another deeply, from a pure heart.” Why Motives Matter to God • He alone sees beneath actions to the attitudes that birth them. • Pure intentions magnify His glory because service flows from love rather than self-promotion. • Right motives invite His reward, whereas hidden selfishness forfeits it. • The heart is the wellspring of life; if it is polluted, even noble deeds become tainted. Living with Heart-Level Integrity • Invite regular heart-searching through Scripture and the Spirit’s conviction. • Align motives with love for God and neighbor before acting. • Serve anonymously when possible, quieting the craving for human applause. • Celebrate others whose unseen faithfulness reveals genuine devotion, just as God celebrated David’s intention. |
    |