Our Proverbs reading reminds us that even the thoughts of an evil man or woman are an abomination to God, because, “thoughts are words to God.”
Thoughts come, even ungodly ones at times, but what do we do with them? Do we take them and consider them, look at them from different angles, or do we reject those that are not pleasing to Him? What are we saying to God with our thoughts?
And from our Old Testament reading in 1 Samuel, we’re reminded of the importance of our perspective. How do you view life and its potential problems? What do you see? One kind of vision leads to greater faith in God; the other leads to fear, worry, and doubt.
Today’s Readings:
1 Samuel 16 & 17
Psalm 57.4-11
Proverbs 15.26
Luke 23.26-56
Thoughts Are Words to God!
1 Samuel 16 & 17:
What God Sees
In chapter 16, God is about to reveal His choice to be Israel’s next king. He has sent Samuel to the home of a man named Jesse because one of his eight sons will be the one. Jesse brings them out one by one beginning with the oldest:
But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’ (v. 16.7).
God doesn’t look at outward appearances, nor at the amount of education, financial or social status, or great beauty. He looks at the heart!
That’s still true today. God is looking at our hearts. In 2 Corinthians 5.9, Paul said he had made it his ambition to please God with his life. He didn’t do something here and there to keep God happy. He made it the number one goal of his life. It was his heart attitude, as it should be ours.
God sees the heart and not just the appearance or behavior. And while we can’t know someone else’s heart as God does, with His help we should seek to look beyond mere outward appearances, too.
But there’s another kind of vision that we need to cultivate.
David & Goliath
Chapter 17 tells the familiar story of David and Goliath. David was Jesse’s youngest son and the one God had chosen to be the next king. But not yet.
Then there was Goliath:
4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him (vss. 4-7).
8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid (vv. 8-11).
But the young man David saw things differently.
The Size of Our God
Look at his response:
For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God (v. 26b)?
The other men looked at their size in relation to the size of the giant, but David looked at the giant in relation to the size of His God!
How do you see your problems? Do you see them in relation to God or do you see yourself in relation to your problems? One way leads to greater faith and the other leads to fear, worry, doubt, and anxiety.
Psalm 57.4-11:
Lead Your Heart
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise (v. 7).
If you have never seen the movie Fireproof, there is a scene where a friend named Michael tells the main character, Caleb, “Stop following your heart and start leading your heart.”
That’s a great statement. You and I can choose to be steadfast in the Lord by meditating on the truths of God and “talking to ourselves” about the size of our God,” instead of “listening to ourselves” as we look at the size of the giants in our lives. Let’s lead our hearts to be steadfast!
If you’ve never seen the movie, I encourage you to find or borrow a copy and watch it. It’s a great movie. It seems to me it started the trend for Christian movies to be distributed to a wider audience. If your marriage is good, it would be a perfect date-night-at-home movie and if you’re struggling in your marriage, there are some powerful ideas and principles for building your relationship.
Today’s Other Readings:
Proverbs 15.26:
Thoughts Are Words to God
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but the words of the pure are pleasant.
Even the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to Him, because, as Matthew Henry says, “thoughts are words to God.” Think about that! Thoughts are words to God!
Thoughts come, even ungodly ones at times, but what do you do with them? Do you take them and consider them, look at them from different angles, or do you reject those thoughts that are not pleasing to the Lord?
We can control what we think about! A thought, like a bird, may come and land on your head, but you don’t have to let it build a nest!
What are you saying to God with your thoughts?
2 Corinthians 10.4-5 says:
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Don’t be deceived into believing that thinking about something is harmless; it isn’t! Don’t think you can toy with thoughts about some man or woman other than your spouse and not be affected by them. Every adulterous affair starts in the heart—that is in the thoughts! Again you can lead your heart instead of following it.
But it isn’t just in the area of adultery that it’s important to control our thinking. Discontent comes from meditating on what others have, viewing it as unfair, and, constantly, wanting more.
A desire for a divorce, especially an unbiblical one, comes from comparing your spouse to others, focusing on his or her shortcomings, and thinking he or she is not good enough. And we could go on listing the ways our thought life can lead us into sinful attitudes and actions.
Thoughts are words to God and sometimes they turn out to have more power in our lives than we ever imagined.
Luke 23.26-56:
Familiar, Yet Still Changing Lives
Most of us know the crucifixion story. There are so many familiar details: Simon who had to help carry His cross, the women who watched and wept, the actual crucifixion, the rulers sneering, the soldiers mocking, His prayer asking His Father to forgive His tormentors, Joseph of Arimathea who lovingly placed His body in his own tomb, and the two thieves who were crucified with Him—one who blasphemed Him to the end and the other who turned to Him in saving faith.
The latter recognized his own sinfulness, believed that Jesus was who He said He was, that this life is not the end, and that Jesus is the Way. He didn’t pray a formal prayer, get baptized, or join a church; He believed!
And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise’ (v. 43).
What About You?
Have you believed? And if you have …
What are you saying to God with your thoughts? Do you tend to fret and worry as you look at the size of your problems? Or do you remember who God is and just how big He is? Do you lead your heart or do you think and do whatever seems right to you?
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about one cause of paranoia, how to respond to instruction, what to do to be used by God, and the homework God gives.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them.
If you would like to receive a FREE downloadable and printable Bible study through the book of Mark, you can click here for more information.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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