Pastor's Blog

The Motives of Our Heart

Wade E Taylor

“And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him. But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I Samuel 16:6-7

When the Lord deals with us, He probes the motives of our heart in order to reach the root, or the source of our condition and need. He then works within us according to the “potential” that He sees.

“I have compared you, O My love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.” Song of Solomon 1:9

When rightly understood, this is a powerful compliment. Pharaoh’s chariot was the most elaborate and ornate in the world of that time. The horses that pulled this chariot were highly trained and disciplined in order to enhance the power and glory of Pharaoh.

The Lord is saying that He has seen the possibility of her being like one of these horses in Pharaoh’s chariot, capable of bringing into open view the King of all kings - in all His glory.

This potential Bride has deeply touched the heart of her Lord and has gained His favor. His approbation now rests upon her life. In Song of Solomon 1:10-11, the Master Workman (Ephesians 2:10) shares with her all that He is about to do, to cause her to become what He sees her to be.

“Your cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, your neck with chains of gold. We will make you borders of gold with studs of silver.”

Gold is a type of the divine nature; silver speaks of righteousness. These together speak of our being made conformable to the Lord’s image and likeness, and becoming so compatible with Him, that we are qualified to become His Bride.

The Bride then responds to all that the Lord is saying to her.

“Behold, You are fair, my Beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green. The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.” Song of Solomon 1:16-17

The cedar tree was a common tree of that area. She is saying that her home is very ordinary. The humility of her heart is evident as she tells the Lord, “You are speaking about this tremendous potential of righteousness and royalty which You see as being within me, but I am just a simple, ordinary person.”

Then she added, “I am but a rose of Sharon, and a lily of the valleys.” There were multiplied tens of thousands of these, the hillsides and valleys were covered with them. “I am just one of many, Lord, why should You single me out, what do You see in me?”

His reply was:

“As the lily among thorns, so is My love among the daughters.” Song of Solomon 2:2

The Lord is saying, “You may be just one among all these, but I saw the hunger of your heart when you cried from the depth of your being – draw me.” Also, you expressed an intense desire for something beyond your present spiritual experience when you said, “I will run after You.”