Friday, July 4, 2014

"Why?"


    Why?  Such a tiny little word addresses monumental matters of God, life, existence, and motivation.

     Why did the Lord make us?  Why does He sustain us, considering the sad fact that to a man and woman, we all misuse God's marvelous gift of freedom - "all we like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6).  Why did Adam begin such waywardness, and why do we, including even devout believers, continue it?  Why do we do what we do?

    The last inquiry provides the theme for this consideration.  At the end of the day, we will be judged more for "Why?" than for "What?"  Certainly, our doings matter, and the judgment seat of Christ will involve the evaluation of the believer's works.  However, 1 Corinthians 13 plainly informs us that God views our actions with a probing perspective that reaches the heart of the matter.  The Apostle Paul declares that one might go so far as to give the body to be burned, but without the motivation of love, all is for naught (I Corinthians 13:3).  The "What?" must originate and proceed from a proper "Why?" if the Christian's doings are to endure as "gold, silver, and precious stones" (I Corinthians 3:12).

    Love forms the only motivation accepted by God, that is, those things done with a view toward Him and toward others comprise the spiritual and moral substance that endures forever.  "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:30-31).  Through the love of Christ "shed abroad in our hearts," we can internally and externally fulfill the great commands in a growing consistency as we trust and submit ourselves to God (Romans 5:5).  We purify our hearts as we present them to Him for the growth in Christlikeness that results in works the meet the test of both motivation of spirit and manner of life.  "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (I John 3:2-3).

    Flesh can sometimes produce fairly accurate representations of what God would have us do.  Never, however, can it create in us the motivation of love that rightly answers the question, "Why?" We do well to keep the inquiry much in heart and mind, and much in prayerful request for the Lord's evaluation of our motivation.  He will gladly respond, and we will increasingly walk in the Christ-fostered purity that provides proper answers to both the "What?" and the "Why?"

"I, the Lord, search the heart."
(Jeremiah 17:10) 

Weekly Memory Verse
   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
(Ephesians 1:3)

No comments: