A Heart Issue

God sometimes places a strong emphasis on a particular theme over and over until I recognize it.  My morning routine involves rising before dawn, praying, reading a chapter of the Bible, focusing on a key verse, and writing the thoughts God provokes.  After I finished writing this morning, for whatever reason I decided to turn back a page.  To my surprise, I found the writing on the previous day was on the same subject:  the condition of the heart.  I had totally forgotten about what I had written the day before!  Since this theme keeps coming up in my writing, I had the idea of simply sharing these two devotions together.  Hope God shows you something awesome!

13/7/11 - 2 Chronicles 11:16:  "And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the LORD God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers."  Those who are loyal to God will seek Him at great expense.  Some might see it as a great inconvenience to travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in obedience to God.  To those who set their hearts upon God, the privilege of obedience is a great delight!  Serving God in obedience is a vital part of the Christian walk.  Like David, who would not sacrifice to God what cost him nothing, followers of Jesus Christ are called to a lifestyle of sacrifice and worship unto the LORD.  A man cannot rightly say, "I have set my heart to seek the LORD" but neglect to take necessary steps to enter into His presence.  Can a man seek hidden treasure from the comfort of his bed?  Is sacrifice possible from a sedentary existence upon a church pew?  Jesus did not sacrifice from the glorious luxuries of heaven, but gave his glory away and was clad in human flesh.  He took up the cross after a life free from sin and completely lived for the glory of God, and died in obedience to the Father's will.  No servant is above his master, and we are Christ's servants.  Worship and praise must involve more than playing a song or assembling in a building at a given hour:  we must take up our cross and follow Jesus.  Since when has sacrifice not involved sacrifice?  We are to be living sacrifices unto our God, who gave Himself freely for us.  We love Him because He first loved us and gave Himself for us.  "You are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Cor. 16:20)

14/7/11 - 2 Chronicles 12:14:  "And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD."  When Rehoboam was established, he "forsook the law of the LORD and all Israel with him" (2 Chron. 12:1).  But when he and the princes humbled themselves before the LORD, the wrath of God was turned away, though they still faced consequences:  some wealth was stripped away, and they became servants of Shishak King of Egypt.  But verse 14 clearly illuminates the main issue:  Rehoboam did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD and thus turned from following Him.  As Christians, God gives us a new heart of flesh, having removed our heart of stone.  We have been given a responsibility to keep our heart soft and humble by God's grace, not allowing it to be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13) or being lifted up with pride.  Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."  If I have a bad heart which beats irregularly, I will be fatigued and at risk of heart failure.  If I suffer from coronary disease, my overall health is negatively affected.  If our hearts are wrong spiritually, every aspect of our lives will be stunted.  Our ability to exercise spiritual gifts will be thwarted, our prayers will be marked by numb dullness, and our strength will be sapped.  The smallest of spiritual disciplines will overwhelm us.  But if God gives us a new heart, and we prepare our hearts to seek the LORD, we will no doubt find Him and walk in the way which fully pleases Him.  Deuteronomy 4:29 states, "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  What an everlasting promise, what confidence we can have in our God's availability, accessibility, and faithfulness!  A divided heart will be full of fear, selfishness, and poisoned with a root of bitterness and pride.  If we will humble ourselves and seek the LORD, we will see the fulfillment of 2 Chronicles 7:14:  "...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."