Wholly

6.21.2010

2 Chronicles 20:33 33 The high places, however, were not taken away; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers. ESV

If the United States is to survive as a nation, there must be a wholesale returning of hearts to the Lord. I know that sounds impossible but it’s true; we cannot endure in the world without God – that is our biggest problem.

The high places referred to here were places where the people engaged in superstition and in the worship of pagan deities. These originally existed at the time of Samuel but became thoroughly pagan under Solomon and had endured through Jehoshaphat’s reign. Apparently there were so many of them, and Jehoshaphat, though a godly king, allowed them to remain because of their popularity with the people. They were a snare to Israel and Judah.

A divided heart is an unfaithful heart. To have a faithful king and an unfaithful people is disaster. To have a faithful king who will not take action is disaster. To have a people who set their hearts on anything but God is disaster.

I must carefully examine my intentions and my motives in these days of a tough economy. I must be careful that I don’t lose sight of God and His providence because the work of the Kingdom cannot be left idle in my pursuit of more money and more stuff in hard financial times. My heart must be fully set upon God.

Father in Heaven,

I’ve long been taught and have believed that affluence and success, according to my culture, are things I must seek after at any cost. That is Americanism. I pray, even in these days, that my heart would be fully set upon You and that I would find courage to depend on You fully to provide for my needs and that the work of the Kingdom may be done in my life and with my time. Amen.