1.) Grandma has every intention to wash the dishes in the dishwasher. She loads the dishwasher, adds the soap, shuts and locks the door, but gets distracted at the last minute before turning the dial to "wash." In her mind only, she thinks she has started the dishwasher. She leaves the kitchen totally believing that the dishes are getting washed. The next day she opens the dishwasher and to her surprise the dishes are not washed!!
2.) The 14 year old son is told by mother to wash the dishes, and while she goes to town, he dilly-dallies around and nothing gets done. Mom comes home and finds everything as she left it--the dishes are not washed!!!
So who did the will of the Father in heaven? Grandma or Son? Neither of them got the dishes washed. They both knew the dishes needed washing. One fully believed she did her job, the other fully knew he did not do his job. This is just an illustration to see that, yes, it is a good thing that God does look at the heart before He judges our actions. That is not to excuse sin, however. Because Grandma meant well, she finished the job as soon as she realized her mistake. Son, being still young, had to learn the hard way. He was made to finish the dishes, and not only those dishes but all the dishes for the next few days until he learned to do his job with a cheerful heart, and to do it well to please Mom.
What about the law of Sabbath-keeping? Some people believe that if you have the Spirit of the Law in your heart, you don't really have to keep the Letter of the Law. But is that rule to apply to all Ten of the Commandments? Shall I only have the spirit of "not murder" "not steal," then go out and murder and steal? Truly if you have the Spirit of the Law, you will also have the Letter of the Law. The Letter by itself is like the Son who chooses not to do the dishes. When the Son realizes that Mom will not let him off the hook, then does he get the work done. That is not the Spirit of the Law. It was still not in his heart to please Mom until he first learned the hard way! What a good thing, he found out, to please Mom, and to set your heart to do the work cheerfully and get it done when asked. And sometimes Mom would even offer to help him!
The Bible quotes this about Jesus Christ who was faithful in all that He did:
Joh 8:28, 29 "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
May God bless you today as you seek to please Him who has so loved you, that He died that He might save you with His own blood on the cross of Calvary. He not only died, but He reached down and found you, dear one, that He might bring you to Him, that you might love and serve Him with all your heart, mind, body and spirit.
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