God Desires Your Heart
Daily Rays of Hope #156
Scripture For Today:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. - Matthew 23:37
God Desires Your Heart
God desires the heart of the believer. Not the religious actions. Not the clean outer appearance. He desires the heart. In Matthew 23 we see that Jesus is admonishing the Pharisees as hypocrites who preach God's law but do not live it.
They split hairs and have closed the door to people reaching Jesus. Further, Jesus explains that anytime teachers and prophets have been sent that the teachers and prophets have been murdered by the religious leaders. From Abel to Zachariah, those who have had a heart for God and a relationship with the Lord have been crucified by those whose hearts were closed to God and whose religious acts became their own God.
Relationship Over Religion
Remember this day that tradition and structure in your life and in your worship to God are important. However, they cannot replace having an earnest relationship with the Lord. Woe to the man who stands between Believers and God with religious edicts and constraints. Like the Pharisees in this verse of scripture, they are indeed being a stumbling block and preventing God from being able to gather up his people.
Be reminded that He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the coming of Christ. Serve God with humility and with a heart to please God, versus your own desires. In doing this, you will keep the door open for an authentic relationship with God, governed by the love of God versus the actions of your own hands and the religious traditions of man.
Three Practical Ways To Walk Out This Word Daily
1. Prioritize Relationship Over Routine
Begin each day by inviting God into your heart, not just your habits. While prayer, study, and church attendance are essential, they are only meaningful when they come from a place of love and surrender. Set aside time to talk with God, not just out of obligation, but out of desire. Let your worship be intimate, not performative. Let your schedule serve your relationship with God, not replace it.
2. Check Your Motives
Regularly ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Whether you are serving, leading, or giving, examine the posture of your heart. Are you seeking approval from people, or are you living to honor God? Like the Pharisees, it is easy to do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas where pride or performance has taken over, and allow Him to realign your heart with His.
3. Be a Bridge, Not a Barrier
Encourage others to draw near to Jesus, not through pressure or performance, but through invitation and love. The Pharisees created barriers with their rules and religiosity. Instead, be someone who reflects God's heart. Listen without judgment, lead with grace, and make space for people to encounter Jesus personally. When you live this way, your life will become a safe landing place for those who are seeking truth.
Closing Encouragement:
God still longs to gather His children close. His heart is for relationship, not religion. As you walk through today, let your heart remain soft toward Him. Let your life testify that you belong under the shelter of His wings, and extend that same covering to others. In doing so, you become part of the expansion of God’s Kingdom on earth.