Devotion Sixteen

Spring-Cleaning – a Spiritual Ritual?

I, Adonai, search the heart; I test inner motivations; in order to give to everyone what his actions and conduct deserve. Jeremiah 17:10

As we emerge from the doldrums of winter, entering a new season of Spring, many homes engage in a time-honoured tradition of spring-cleaning.  I suggest this is an appropriate time to also examine the condition of our hearts, examining our inner motivations.  Why is this important?

We know our actions are controlled and driven by the inner motivations of our hearts, understanding this phrase to be a euphemism for our secret desires.  Over the years, as an elementary, secondary and university teacher, I have come face-to-face with my inner motivations – many teachers do, when they are met with the actions and reactions of their students, some more vocal and obvious than others.  These reactions to our desire-driven behaviour should give us pause; we ignore them at our peril, remembering God sees and remembers them.  He knows when we show respect, kindness and love to others (one of the Great Commands) and when we do not.  We will answer for what we have done to and with others, positive and negative, either in this life or in the next.  Better we address them now, when we have an opportunity to address and, if needed change those intentions.

Remember what Adonai Yeshua shared with us, as recorded in Matthew 5:8 – How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God?  Purity of heart is the state of belief and thinking to which we should all be aspiring; if not now, when?

In this age of social media (Face Book, Twitter, Whats-Up, etc.) there is ample evidence of unfiltered thoughts – judgments, gossiping, slandering, stereotyping – which indicates a hardening of hearts, even among many believers.  As we hurtle towards the appearance of our Messiah, aught we not to be showing Him evidence of our following His commands to us: Love God with all your heart, mind and strength and Love your neighbour as yourself?  Beloved, I urge all of us to take this opportunity to engage in the spring-cleaning of our hearts before we face Him.