Where is Your Heart?

          Today’s readings touched me in the fact that we really need to know where our heart is in carrying out God’s will in our lives.  This has to be a totally selfless act that we are here doing.  I think so many times our own pride, selfish desires, and personal goals can get in the way of doing God’s work.  As I read through Acts 19 this was clear in the actions of some of the Jews desiring to do the same great works that Paul was doing.

Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.15 One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?"16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

          When it comes to doing the work of God we need to adopt the selfless attitude that Paul and especially Jesus displayed while here in this world.  The Jewish priests were doing it for their own glory even though they said they were doing it "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches…”  I think we hear these type of people everyday preaching from the pulpits, on the radio, and on television.  I am not saying that everyone is that way, but you can tell those that are or at least question their motives when you see the life they live.  So let the life you live be a reflection of Jesus, as He set the example while He was with us in this world.  A selfless, thoughtful, loving and caring life giving hope to those that are looking for it.