MOTIVE – PART 2
ACTS 16: 16 & 17: Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
Motive can be very powerful. Motive is a driving force behind every action, success and advancement. It can also be the force behind failures. God is the only right judge of the intent and purpose of every human action; every motive. That is why it does not matter when men misconstrued your motive and criticise you unjustly. If your motive is right, and you have always based your actions on the need to please your Master, the Almighty God; and see God as the only one whose reward you crave most then, you can be rest assured that His reward would surely come if your motive are right with Him. Similarly, it is also God alone that can punish you if your motive is wrong; even if men sing your praise. The bible says in Heb. 10:31 that “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (NIV). May you not fall into the hands of God like King Saul in Jesus name.
We would look at King Saul in the bible as a case study in the understanding of the importance of right motive in our walk with God. We were told in I Sam.15: 1-3, that God gave King Saul very clear instructions through Prophet Samuel about what He wants done to the people of Amalek. Saul was expected to destroy Amalekites totally. He was instructed not to spare anything. Specifically, in I Sam. 15: 3 God said “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” However, King Saul went to Amalek, destroy some things and spare some that are beautiful to behold. When confronted by Prophet Samuel as instructed by God, King Saul’s response was that he spared them so that he might use them as offering unto God. His answer was, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest” (I Sam 15: 15).
If Prophet Samuel had been an ordinary listener then the motive of King Saul for sparing of the best of sheep and cattle would have been accepted; after all, Moses commanded the children of Israel in Deut. 17: 1 “Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him” (NIV). . But because our God who searches the hearts knew King’s Saul real motive; which is predicated on greed, rejected his excuse. It was not possible for King Saul to deceive God, because in Jer. 17:10 God says "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." Of course, because his motive was wrong, God pronounced a judgement upon him. I pray that your motive would always be right in His sight in Jesus name.
What can we learn from this case study?
1. Your motive is not hidden from God
2. Your motive would find you out. Num. 32: 23 says "but if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out”
3. God would judge all motive.
4. You can deceive men, but not God
5. When you give excuse concerning any issue, be sure that you are sincere.
Beloved, let your motive at all-time always be in line with the will of God.
Shalom.
Dr. Yinka Okude
Pastor-in-Charge
RCCG Jesus Sanctuary, Northampton
HYMN: What can wash away my sin?