Turned Away

I remember as a kid when my parents did or said something that I tried to turn and walk away. I learned rather quickly that this was a huge sign of disrespect to them. I had to turn around come back and stand there until the “lecture” (aka teachable moment) was over. I really wasn’t a horrible kid, but I did like to know where the boundaries were and my parents weren’t shy about showing me exactly where they were.

King Solomon has just died and his son became his successor in Judah and another man Jereboam became the King of Israel. Neither of these men followed the Lord. They both seemed to think that they were invincible and that they could ignore the Lord. Jereboam had a sick child and so he sends his wife to the old priest to inquire what will happen to the boy. The Lord gave the old priest a heads up. Even though the priest was old and blind, he called out Jereboams wife. She was sent back with a strong message to her husband. Check this out…

7 Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. 9 You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me. (1 Kings 14:7-9 NIV)

The Lord doesn’t like it when I turn my back on Him. I’ve seen His Power. I’ve felt His Love. I know that the Lord wants me to walk with Him and talk with Him. I know that the Lord wants my heart. He wants me to follow Him with my whole heart like David. I am convinced that the Lord pursues my heart and wants me to pursue His. King David became the benchmark against which all other kings after him were measured. As I read David’s writings and his journey, it’s obvious that he is in pursuit of the Lord’s heart. I even see in his failure and his sin that he returns whole-heartedly to the Lord and forgiveness is poured all over him.

I want to follow the Lord fully with my whole heart. I want to trust Him enough to talk with Him about everything that I’m facing. I want to trust Him with all the details of my life no matter how messy and how much. I don’t ever want to turn my back on Him. I want to turn to the Lord, NOT turn away from Him. I want to follow Him all the days of my life here on earth. I believe that all the activities of my life come directly from my heart.

Pressing On!

Dwayne