“And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.” 2 Chronicles 19:9

Throughout the Bible there are instructions to serve the Lord with a perfect heart. I have often thought upon this, focusing on the word perfect as questions form in my mind. Every day of my life I struggle with my inability to be “perfect”, so how can I possibly serve Him or love Him with a “perfect” heart? In 2 Chronicles 25:2, Amaziah did what was right, but not with a perfect heart. “ And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.”

So what was the problem, how could he do that which was right yet his heart not be perfect? And then God reminded me of all the times I’ve “Done the Right Thing”, but not from my heart. Times I did the right thing to impress someone or to achieve something I wanted. Times when I did the “Right Thing” because I knew it was expected, I didn’t do it from my heart into the Lord.

“Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord : and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” 1 Chronicles 29:9

They gave from their heart because they wanted to, it came from their heart. They gave with a perfect heart.

“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

It’s not the service that brings honor to God, it’s the attitude of the heart with which the service is done.

“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

“Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.”1 Kings 8:61

I come before Him, knowing I fall so short of perfection; yet, He sees and knows my heart so with a perfect heart of love for Him I will seek to follow Him in all that I do.