LUKE 11:42 “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

KEYWORD: When love for God becomes your motivation, your giving, service, prayers, and sacrifices all gain eternal value.

In our world today, many are subtly encouraged to become cold toward God and disconnected from Him by not having their hearts involved with God. As a result, we now see many acts of service carried out toward God without genuine love or sincere devotion behind them.
Some people feel their time is too precious to spend in God’s house, whether in listening to the teaching of the Word or preaching Christ to those who need salvation. Others believe God should not require too much of their time because of work, family activities, or personal interests. So they attempt to make a compromise within themselves: “If I cannot be available personally, I will simply give resources instead.”
Sometimes they give money, materials, or equipment, but they do so without true passion for God or concern for souls. It becomes a duty performed mechanically, almost like ticking a box on a checklist. There is little burden to know whether lives are truly being transformed or whether the Gospel is genuinely advancing.
What is missing is love. Love for the things of God and also for His flock. This is why Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in the opening Scripture. They were careful about outward religious practices, yet they neglected the weightier matters: judgment, mercy, and the love of God. Their actions appeared righteous outwardly, but their hearts were far from Him.
God is not merely looking for activity. He is looking for hearts that genuinely love Him. 1 Corinthians 13:3 makes this very clear: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor… and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” This means it is possible to give greatly and yet gain nothing eternal from it because love was absent.
Imagine studying hard for an examination while ignoring the exact areas the teacher instructed you to focus on. Though you labored, you would still fail because you missed what truly mattered.
In the same way, God does not want us to become people who appear devoted outwardly while our hearts remain disconnected from Him inwardly. He desires obedience, generosity, service, and sacrifice, but He wants them to flow from love for Him and for His people. Yes, resources are important in advancing the Gospel, but God ultimately desires your heart first. When love for God becomes your motivation, your giving, service, prayers, and sacrifices all gain eternal value. The question is not merely whether you are doing something for God, but whether your heart is truly with Him while you do it. Glory to God!

PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, please open my eyes today to see where I have been missing it and where I need to correct my steps. Guide me into all truth and bring me into an understanding of what really matters and the role I have to play to make it a reality, in Jesus’ name.”

FURTHER STUDY:

MICAH 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

MATTHEW 9:13 “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”