He Reads My Secret Motives

 

What knowledge of man's heart our Lord Jesus Christ possesses!

• I see Him exposing the false motives of those who followed Him for the sake of the loaves and fishes.
• They had followed Him across the Lake of Galilee.
• At first sight, they seemed ready to believe in Him, do Him honor.

But He knew the inward springs of their conduct, and was not deceived.

• "You seek me," He said, "not because you saw the miracles,
• but because you ate the loaves, and were filled."

I should never forget, the Lord Jesus is still the same.

• He never changes.
• He reads my secret motives and all who profess and call themselves Christians.

He knows exactly why I do all I do in my religion.

• The reasons why I go to Church, and why I receive the sacrament --
• why I attend family prayers, and why I try to keep Sunday holy--
• all are naked and opened to the eyes of the great Head of the Church.

By Him my actions are weighed as well as seen.

• "Man looks on the outward appearance,
• but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

Let me be real, true, and sincere in my faith, whatever else I am.

• The sinfulness of hypocrisy is very great, but its foolishness is greater still.
• It is not hard to deceive ministers, relatives, and friends.
• A little decent outward profession will often go a long way.

But it is impossible to deceive Christ.

• "His eyes are as a flame of fire." (Revelation 1:14)
• He sees me through and through.
• Happy am I when I can say --
• "You, Lord, who know all things, know that I love you." (John 21:17)

Adapted Excerpt from J.C. Ryle's The Gospel of John