Gina Parcells, She Speaks! Graduate
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)
Despite the fact that I cook every night, my spiritual gift is definitely not in the kitchen.
Last night, I was running behind as I cooked burgers on the grill. I needed the meat to cook more quickly so, novice cook that I am, I figured that turning up the heat was a pretty good option. I cooked, I flipped, and I added cheese. I garnished each masterpiece with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and I waited for the compliments to rush in from my beloved family.
“Mom, why is my bun soaked?”
“Whoa, look at how gushy and red this meat is.”
My youngest tried to come to my rescue, “Well, from the outside, this burger looks amazing!”
The outside…I thought that if it looked good on the outside then surely the inside must look just as good.
As women, we can be so focused on our outward appearances that we neglect the meat of what God sees.
Each morning, we spend time applying our makeup and fixing our hair, but do we have the same resolve to prepare ourselves inwardly to face the day, every day? Maybe the shine from the lip gloss is imperative for the world, but what about the shine that God wants to develop from within?
We take time to dress in our stylish clothing and accessorize with our fashionista jewelry, but even with these condiments, we become like that burger—cooked on the outside but not yet ready on the inside. The pathetic truth is that quite often the necessity for personal grooming to look good to the world pushes aside the quiet times of grooming that would make me look better to God.
I have to wonder whether God looks at me some mornings and says, “Are you going out looking like that? Baby, you’re not ready. Why don’t you let Me help you?”
What I really need to realize is that it’s only man who looks at my outward appearance. The Lord is looking right at my heart. All the makeovers in the world will do nothing for my beauty compared with the daily heart makeovers that He wants to perform.
Next time I’m grilling burgers, I’ll be certain to leave enough time to cook them completely. And tomorrow morning, beyond the primping time, I’ll be certain to leave plenty of room for God to work as the Master Chef ensuring that I, too, am “cooked through.”
Dear Lord, show me what it means to have a heart that is wholly devoted to You, and help me to desire the inner beauty that only You can provide. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Women’s Devotional Bible
Do You Know Him?
Family Enrichment Toolkit by Michelle Weber
Application Steps:
Designate a time to intentionally meet with God each day, and commit this time to Him even if it’s only for five minutes.
As you prepare dinner for those you love, pray for your resolve to be “cooked though” for the One who loves you.
Reflections:
If God were to describe the condition of my heart, what might He say?
Specifically, how do I need to adjust my schedule to ensure that I have time to let God help me get ready for each day?
Power Verses:
Psalm 16:8a, “I have set the LORD always before me.” (NIV)
Psalm 143:6, “I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” (NIV)
1 Peter 3:3-4a, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart.” (NASB)
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)
Despite the fact that I cook every night, my spiritual gift is definitely not in the kitchen.
Last night, I was running behind as I cooked burgers on the grill. I needed the meat to cook more quickly so, novice cook that I am, I figured that turning up the heat was a pretty good option. I cooked, I flipped, and I added cheese. I garnished each masterpiece with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and I waited for the compliments to rush in from my beloved family.
“Mom, why is my bun soaked?”
“Whoa, look at how gushy and red this meat is.”
My youngest tried to come to my rescue, “Well, from the outside, this burger looks amazing!”
The outside…I thought that if it looked good on the outside then surely the inside must look just as good.
As women, we can be so focused on our outward appearances that we neglect the meat of what God sees.
Each morning, we spend time applying our makeup and fixing our hair, but do we have the same resolve to prepare ourselves inwardly to face the day, every day? Maybe the shine from the lip gloss is imperative for the world, but what about the shine that God wants to develop from within?
We take time to dress in our stylish clothing and accessorize with our fashionista jewelry, but even with these condiments, we become like that burger—cooked on the outside but not yet ready on the inside. The pathetic truth is that quite often the necessity for personal grooming to look good to the world pushes aside the quiet times of grooming that would make me look better to God.
I have to wonder whether God looks at me some mornings and says, “Are you going out looking like that? Baby, you’re not ready. Why don’t you let Me help you?”
What I really need to realize is that it’s only man who looks at my outward appearance. The Lord is looking right at my heart. All the makeovers in the world will do nothing for my beauty compared with the daily heart makeovers that He wants to perform.
Next time I’m grilling burgers, I’ll be certain to leave enough time to cook them completely. And tomorrow morning, beyond the primping time, I’ll be certain to leave plenty of room for God to work as the Master Chef ensuring that I, too, am “cooked through.”
Dear Lord, show me what it means to have a heart that is wholly devoted to You, and help me to desire the inner beauty that only You can provide. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Women’s Devotional Bible
Do You Know Him?
Family Enrichment Toolkit by Michelle Weber
Application Steps:
Designate a time to intentionally meet with God each day, and commit this time to Him even if it’s only for five minutes.
As you prepare dinner for those you love, pray for your resolve to be “cooked though” for the One who loves you.
Reflections:
If God were to describe the condition of my heart, what might He say?
Specifically, how do I need to adjust my schedule to ensure that I have time to let God help me get ready for each day?
Power Verses:
Psalm 16:8a, “I have set the LORD always before me.” (NIV)
Psalm 143:6, “I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” (NIV)
1 Peter 3:3-4a, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart.” (NASB)
13 Comments:
This is wonderful! I am inspired by the applications part to put a verse right on my convection oven to remind me while I cook our meals to be "cooked through" Such an easy thing to do that will have such a impact. Praise God! Thanks so much for this blessing!
Raw cheeseburgers,
I read this devotion today with my friend and I want to be well done. She and I agree that we don't like raw meat and Although we like to dress up She and I want to be well done and acceptable for meat as an offering to God in our lives. This was great, we love you and thank for this great word of God this morning.
this is a great word!!!
We spend so much time on our outer appearance. This will all pass away. What is important is the heart.
I am very encouraged about this devotional. Especially when it came down to the reflection questions. Many of times and especially times like now, I tend to not be giving God the time that he deserves due to the everyday business of my crazy college schedule. I've been thinking lately on how I should reprioritize my schedule so that I can spend time with God on a daily basis. This devotional was right on time for me. Thanks for the wonderful word of encouragement.
I really needed this today. Thank you.
Great devo, Gina! :)
I agree! May we clothes ourselves with the Lord Jesus (Romans 13:14) and with God's wardrobe of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Col. 3:12)
"Cooked Through" sounds very appetizing! I was never a "rare" girl anyway!
Thanks.
Your words, HIS word, was an answer to prayer today. I recently learned that my husband left me for another woman and though most times I am reminded not to be "jealous of evil" I do have days when I compare myself to this other woman and the spiral goes down from there. This morning I prayed to God and tried to put on a confidence that God thinks I'm beautiful, that it's my heart which makes beauty, not my flesh, and then I read your post and I felt it was the knock over my head that I needed to hear Him affirming my beauty. Thank you for the heartfelt reminder I was hungry for. Praise God!
This is agreat reminder of how God sees us.Who we are is deffinetley etched on the inside of us! Just like the hamberger we can look good on the outside and not be done onthe inside"God help me to look good on the inside as well as the outside" in Jesus's name i pray amen. and amen.
God's blessing to you all!
God has been speaking to me about the condition of my heart. Instead of spending excessive time and energy gaining people's approval/admiration/attention (however appealing to my flesh), what I need to do is focus on His attributes changing me from within...what I dwell/meditate on, what is my character like? Let the Holy Spirit guide me.
Thanks for this devotional.
I needed to read this tonight! Thank you for your obedience to God and for sharing with us. I need to give the first part of my TIME to God, not just the first part of my paycheck! Bless you.
Give all the glory to God...I'm convicted by the holy spirit...
Great Devo, I am going to spend more time on the inside than on the outside, for sure.
I'm reminded about what really matters and that I want to be able to love and take care of myself because God sees my heart, good and bad, and loves me just the same. Great encouragment!!
Post a Comment
Home