God Knows Our Hearts

Readings:
II Chronicles 6:22-42
Acts 18:1-11

Focus:
II Chronicles 6:30b: "As you know a person's heart, reward him according to his deeds, for you alone know the hearts of all."

As Solomon continues to pray that God will consecrate the new temple he has built, he asks that God will hear the prayers of the Israelites and that he will forgive their sins.

For each person to be rewarded according to his own deeds was a somewhat revolutionary concept in the ancient Middle East, where people were punished not just for their own sins, but also the sins of their family members. But Solomon asks that God will consider the heart of each person who prays, and judge each person on that basis, on the basis of what each person has done. This is greater justice than what the Israelites may have been used to.

Even so, in the long run it is not enough for salvation, not for anyone. If we were all judged by God according to our deeds, compared to the righteousness that is necessary to measure up to God's righteousness, we would all fail. As Solomon says in verse 36, who is free from sin? Every one of us is guilty of at least petty sins such as selfishness or unfair anger. Yet we must be free from sin to enter salvation.

That is why God provided Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins, instead of us. All we have to do is to acknowledge our sins and acknowledge what Jesus has done, and God counts that then as if it were our own righteousness. God knows our hearts, and he knows if we love him and acknowledge him. This is good news!