How much of what I do (what we do) is for an Audience of One?
I think it is good and healthy to examine yourself and your motives daily. That is, why do I do the things that I do? Why do I say the things that I say? Am I trying to score some points for myself (somehow) by building myself up (sometimes at someone elses expense).
Pride can dominate our motives (I know this within myself). Seeking the recognition of people can dominate our motives (again, I know this within myself).
How much of our day is for an Audience of One? How much is done purely for our Lord?
Now I’m not suggesting a works based salvation or doing stuff for God to earn your way into Heaven. But what is simply done for God out of a response to a faith based relationship in our Heavenly Father and what is done for the ‘pride of self’ or the ‘recognition of man’.
What drives my heart and what drives your heart?
If I test my motives from time to time, I know my motives, sometimes, are impure and selfish and prideful. So this is a healthy exercise. Perhaps when you examine the motives of your heart you may find they are very skewed. Repentence may be necessary.
I think from time to time, the Lord wants to give us this new heart but there are all these obstacles, all these crutches in my life, in our lives, that have not been broken. Our motives are wrong. We rely on ourselves. Pride rather than humility dominates our lives.
There is a verse, just before the flood, that describes the heart condition of the majority of the people, I think about it from time to time…
Gen 6:5-6
5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (NIV)
Before we were born again the inclination of our hearts was evil. Even if we don’t think that, God thinks that. After we are truly born again, God gives us a new heart…
Ezek 36:25-27
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. (NIV)
What does this mean – a new heart. Are we perfect – no! Are we never, ever going to do anything wrong – no! It means God has given us His heart and the natural inclination of our hearts is no longer evil, the (super)natural inclination of our hearts is now good in the eyes of the Lord.
God does something the law, working externally, could never do and that is to change man from the inside out, to give him (us) new hearts and a new Spirit.
So, are we grieving this new heart away? Or, have we ever received this new heart? How are the motives of our heart? Are our motives pure or selfish?
Are we living for a Audience of One?
Enlightened Hope 
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