Sanctification

The Lord is glorious and mighty
Shining on His holy hill.
He is all-powerful and sovereign.
Each of His words He will fulfill.
Nothing escapes His divine knowledge.
No one can withstand His will.
Let every facet of my being
Be refined by Your holy fire.
Test my thoughts and motivations.
I pray I may aquire
Your image more each passing day,
That You will be my crowning glory, my spire
To heaven and to Your throne.
Sanctify me and tame my will
To meet with Your desire,
For this is my desire.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

Day 8

In 1 Corinthians chapter three, the Apostle Paul tells us that what we do on earth will be tested on the judgement day of believers like different materials are tested in fire. Some are only refined in the heat, like precious metals, but others are burned up almost instantly, like twigs. So what will be tested? Will it be how much money we gave to charity, how many mission trips we went on, or how many church work days we attended? Jesus said that there are a lot of people who think they do great things and deserve something for it, but He doesn’t recognize them for it (Matthew 7:21-23).

There is no doubt we will be accountable for our actions, but it’s not just our actions we will be accountable for. I believe we will be accountable for our intentions, even when our actions seemed ideal. If we serve with resentment, if we give begrudgingly, I believe those attitudes could even negate the actual “work” we did in God’s eyes.

God is made happy when we do what is pleasing in His sight, and I think we forget a very large part of that is the invisible part: the condition of our heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Psalm 51:16-17 says,

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

I think back on all the acts of service I have done for my family and for friends, and I think I wasted a lot of my energy. The only thing left to do is press on (Philippians 3:12-16). We can’t change our emotions like the flip of a switch, but if we admit this to God and are ready to change, He can put us in His fire and refine us before the fire of judgement day.

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