The Lord Knows Your Heart
This Weeks Announcements & Events
We will continue voting on the new carpet next week. Please write the number of the carpet you would like to see in our sanctuary on a piece of paper, and place it in the box. Please only vote once. Council will be using the votes to help decide what carpet to order for the sanctuary.
Prayer Requests for this Week:
Ted Johnson – health issues
Sarah Sauer – health issues
Mike Knicker – health issues
Evie Schroeder – Recovering from stroke
Amy Pauers
Mel Murray – Fractured Vertebrae
Walt Zimmerman – Health Issues
Brianna (Mike and Alexis Wolosz’ granddaughter) – dealing with health issue
On Our Calendar this week
Tuesday January 11
6:30 pm – Council Meeting
Wednesday January 12
4:15 pm – Confirmation
Sunday January 16
9:30 am – Worship
11 am – Sunday School
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at how tall he is, because I have rejected him. For the Lord does not look at things the way man does. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Before Saul became king in Israel, God had been the leader of Israel through the judges and prophets. But the people wanted to have a king like the other nations around them. So the Lord had Samuel anoint Saul as the king. Saul was an impressive young man, and a head taller than the rest of the people. But Saul had disobeyed God and so God had rejected him as king.
God sent Samuel to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse, to anoint the next king. When Samuel saw David’s older brother, Eliab, he thought that Eliab would be the chosen one. But God revealed to Samuel that God was not looking at the appearance, as much as the heart. When David passed in front of Samuel, the Lord revealed to him that David was the chosen one. God knew David’s heart. He knew the king that David would be, how he would lead the people back to God.
As humans, we aren’t able to see into another person’s heart. We can see another person's actions and attitudes to determine what may be in a person’s heart but only the Lord knows what is in a person’s heart. God also sees into our hearts. He sees the selfish thoughts that we have. He sees the lust and the greed. He sees all the evil things that are in our hearts, that no one else may ever know about. And he hates it.
But God also sees his son in our hearts. He sees the bloodstains of Jesus that cover over all of that evil in our hearts. And God sees his kingdom. He sees a place where he dwells and reigns because of faith. When God looks at us, he sees a blood-bought child of his, and he loves us with his everlasting love. Amen.
The song for today is “Your Heart (DAVID)” by Chris Tomlin