Inner disposition

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.           1 Sam. 16.7

Samuel is in the process of anointing a successor to Saul. God has led him to Jesse’s family. He sees Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son and he is convinced that this is the Lord’s anointed.

But the Lord says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.”

Unfortunately his impressive outward features remind us of Saul who certainly “looked the part” but who turned out to be not of the “right stuff” inside.

The Lord is concerned with the inner disposition and character of a person. The heart is the centre of the man. The heart is all-significant. If the heart is truly for the Lord, then God has the whole person.

Furthermore, the heart will actually reflect in the outward appearance. If the heart is for God – open, true and joyful – the outward appearance will show such character.

To be sold out for God from the inside is the most wonderful state, and a place where I would like to live for all time.

Lord God,

Again I say, I want to be a man after Your own heart. I offer up my heart to you and ask You to make it Yours. Touch me, infuse me with the Father’s heart. Draw me close to You in friendship, truth and love.

And, with my heart, I give my whole self to You. I not only want You to fill the whole of the inside of me, I want you to shine out through every part of me. Show me Your ways. Lead me in them. Have your way completely in me, in Jesus’ name I ask.                  Amen.