Why do you do what you do?

This question is for those of us who profess to have a relationship with Christ. Why do you go to church? Why do we pray or read our Bibles? Why do we help others? I found a verse in the Bible yesterday that caused me to spend some time in prayer over these same questions. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 25:2 that Amaziah "did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart." In other words, he did the things that God required or would have wanted him to do, but all along his heart was wrong. He was doing these things with the wrong motives. Eventually his heart won out. After God helps him win a great victory over his enemies, he sets up idols to worship. This story reminded me of Matthew 7:21-23. In these verses, Jesus tells us that not everyone who comes before Him on that day calling Him Lord will enter into His presence. He tells us that there will be some who claim to have done His work yet He will not let them in. His response to them is that He never knew them. I have always read this word with a little fear if I may be honest with you. Even Paul said that he did not want to run this race showing others the way and then find himself to be disqualified at the end. I believe what Jesus is telling us in these verses is the same that we find in the life of Amaziah. We may at times be doing the things of God, yet not have a heart for God. The bottom line is that it is not the works but the condition of our heart. Where is your heart today? Have you and I given our hearts totally to Him, or are we holding part of it for ourselves? Let us be certain to give it all away today. God bless.