Transformation

I love hearing from God. It blows my mind every single time! Today was no exception but I'll get to that in a minute. I have been super convicted the past many weeks about where my focus lies. I confess that I spend much too much time daily worrying about what I put in my mouth, what the scale says, how my clothes fit, each new wrinkle, the lack of elasticity in my skin and on and on it goes. Countless times I have had that gentle nudging in my spirit asking........'do you concern yourself as much about the state of your heart?" In all honesty, I do think often about the state of my heart and I so desire to have a heart turned toward Jesus. I daily strive to have a heart like Him...but I confess I give too much thought daily to my outward appearance.

Repeatedly in the past few weeks God has reminded me of Romans 12:2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will. I know the best way to renew my mind is to feed it God's word. God is working on my heart as I do this. He is tenderizing it as I hide His word there. God gives us many references to the heart and the mind - The mind and the heart work together - He tells us that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks! So, I know that it is critical that I fill my heart and my mind with His word so I will be able to know and do His will, His way!

So, this morning I was awake at 4:40 a.m. (another 'side-affect' of aging HA) and spent time in prayer before I came out to read His word. I have been searching scripture for a word about renewing my mind and my heart. I want to read and reread them often! He tells us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind. So I know I cannot do one without the other. As I hide His word in my heart it becomes more and more what I think on and it gets more embedded in my heart and I think of it more and so it goes........

So, this morning I wanted to find the scripture about how man looks at the outward appearance and God looks at the heart. I was looking in my concordence and realized there are three columns of scripture regarding the heart. Only 20 or so scriptures about 'looks' and many of those don't refer to what people think of when they think looks - Only a few scriptures about appearance so clearly God is much more concerned about the state of my heart than the appearance of my body. The reference is 1 Samuel 16:7. God has sent Samuel to annoint David as king. Samuel knows the next king will be one of Jesses sons and yet none of the brothers is the one God chose. From all outward appearances they 'looked' like king material but God says in verse 7: "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." God chose David. A shepard boy.

A few minutes later I open a new devotional I planned to begin today. It's a Beth Moore study called David...90 Days with a heart like His. Day 1 begins "A Look at the Heart" and it says before you begin, read..............1 Samuel 16:1-7! I love that we serve a God of relevance and detail!

Two weeks ago God showed me the principle of the appearance vs the heart in such a real way. I teach third grade Sunday school next door to a precious friend I've gotten to know this year. We visit each week outside our doors waiting on the kids to come. We took our girls to a christian girls event for the weekend this spring. We drove to OKC and home together. We had some great talks. She sings in the choir, has organized a mission event to benefit children, she teaches 4th grade Sunday School each week, she serves in our church regularly. However, two weeks ago during the invitation she walked forward to ask Jesus to come into her heart - to forgive her of her sins and be her savior. She got it - works cannot and will not save her! Being a good person cannot and will not save her!! Only Jesus can! Jesus said...."I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." I couldn't stop crying. She LOOKED like a christian - she did all the things christians do - except one. She had never made that decision. It never occured to me to ask her when she was saved by grace! I assumed by looking at her she was! I am so thankful she now is!

I want my life to make an eternal impact!! If people talk about me when I walk away I pray they only talk about the state of my heart and my love for Jesus..... not the size of my body.