2nd Chronicles chapter 12. Abandoning God.
Once King Rehoboam was established as king he and the people of Judah abandoned God. But because God had a great love for them his desire was to bring them back into a relationship with Himself. It's so easy to get distracted by the pressures of this world or by the pleasures of this world. It happens to us all in some ways or another and when it happens God will knock on the door of our heart in hopes of us returning back to him making him Lord of our lives. But if we don't hear the Lord, or we reject his loving knock on the door of our hearts, then he will abandoned us. Not because he hates us but he will allow circumstances to arise in hopes of us realizing our need for him. God's desire is to get us back with him 100%.
The key thing with Judah that activated God's response was when all Judah humbled themselves before God, recognizing their need for Him. And at the same time realizing their need to abandon all that was keeping them from the Lord.
The unfortunate thing is, there are consequences for abandoning God. He doesn't just rescue us so we don't learn from our mistakes, but rather he intervenes and allows us to suffer consequences in hopes that we won't repeat the same decisions that got us away from Him. So the best thing we could do, before it gets worse, is to humbly come before the Lord now, with a renewed heart and mind for the Lord!
What hinders our relationship with the Lord? Would you say it's more of the pleasures of this world or the stresses of this world? What's the one thing that hinders our time with God? What is that one thing that makes us decide not to spend time alone with God? Do we pray for the Holy Spirit to help us get back to the Lord? Or Do we justify to ourselves that we have a good excuse? Or do we give up out of frustration?
Take steps today to get back with the Lord in a loving relationship.
I was reminded again today of James 4:7-10.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”