The Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer are found in the Book of Common Prayer or online:
Morning Evening
1 Samuel 16:7b: “…the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Isn’t it wonderful that our outward appearance means nothing to God? For all the focus and hype in our culture on good looks and the resulting anxiety so many of us have about it, it’s good to recall that appearances mean nothing in the spiritual life. Maybe this time of quarantine is helping us to care less too, given all the jokes about lack of showers, haircut fails, and quarantine “fashion”/ the lack thereof. It can be good because we may have more mental space to care about what God cares about: our hearts.
This word for “heart” in Hebrew is “lebab” and it has to do with our inclinations, our will, and understanding. The heart is the “seat of life” itself. So, in what direction are we inclined? Where are we leaning? Are we inclined towards God, towards aligning our will with God’s will?
In the end, it is only our hearts that matter – and having a heart focused on God is the most beautiful and important attribute we can ever have. (I still recommend brushing your teeth. )
~Rebecca+
Morning Evening
1 Samuel 16:7b: “…the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Isn’t it wonderful that our outward appearance means nothing to God? For all the focus and hype in our culture on good looks and the resulting anxiety so many of us have about it, it’s good to recall that appearances mean nothing in the spiritual life. Maybe this time of quarantine is helping us to care less too, given all the jokes about lack of showers, haircut fails, and quarantine “fashion”/ the lack thereof. It can be good because we may have more mental space to care about what God cares about: our hearts.
This word for “heart” in Hebrew is “lebab” and it has to do with our inclinations, our will, and understanding. The heart is the “seat of life” itself. So, in what direction are we inclined? Where are we leaning? Are we inclined towards God, towards aligning our will with God’s will?
In the end, it is only our hearts that matter – and having a heart focused on God is the most beautiful and important attribute we can ever have. (I still recommend brushing your teeth. )
~Rebecca+
RSS Feed