Are Your Motives Pure
May 1 2022
In the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of John, two miracles performed by Jesus are recorded. The first one is the feeding of the five thousand men who sat down. There were more than five thousand fed because women and children were also present. The second miracle was the walking on the water as the disciples were in the ship sailing towards Capernaum. We talk about Jesus walking on the water, but we fail to mention that He walked on a sea that a great wind blew upon which caused the sea to be unsettled. Yet His steps were not impeded in anyway.
The following day when the people whom Jesus had fed realized that He along with His disciples were no longer there, they got into a ship and headed towards Capernaum. There they found Jesus on the “other side”. They asked Him when He came because they never saw Him board the ship with the disciples.
Jesus responded by saying “Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled”. He knew their motives. They weren’t seeking Him to establish a relationship, but for what they could get from Him. They followed Him for the physical and temporary benefits and not because they were spiritually hungry.
It is sad that many believers seek His hand and not His face. He tells us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto us. But our motives have to be pure. We can’t pretend or try to deceive the Lord. He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
When I first became a believer, I can’t honestly say that my motives were pure. When I saw how the Lord was blessing my wife by her giving, I thought “let me get in on this action”. I wanted my money to be multiplied. Eventually I learned better as I increased in the knowledge of my Lord and Savior. My thinking was transformed as my love for Christ grew and I matured. And as I continued to study His Word, my motives changed and all I wanted was a sincere relationship with Him. My spiritual hunger increased and no longer did I seek His hand, but I focused on His Kingdom. My entire life seemingly changed overnight.
The Bible tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. When was the last time you examined yourself, examined your motives or examined your heart? Are you still seeking the Lord for the right reasons or have you allowed the world and the things in it to cause you to develop another motive?
If you have gotten off track, ask for forgiveness and get back to loving God with all your heart, mind soul and strength. You will be blessed.