Internal and External Influence

Focus Verses: II Chronicles 24:6-22

We've been back and forth between Judah and Israel during today's reading, but I want to focus on Judah for the moment.

Joash was the child-king. Jehoiada acted as guardian and regent for him when he was underage and wielded a large influence as he grew. Joash had decreed the repair of the temple of the Lord, but by the time he was thirty, the priests had not yet begun those repairs. So Joash told them to collect money from the people only for the repair of the temple. The priests were to hand over the collected monies which were to be used to hire workmen to repair the temple.

So the temple was repaired. As long as Jehoiada lived, the offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord. But Jehoiada was old, and he died. Immediately thereafter, the officials of Judah came to the king and paid homage. So he listened to them and the worship in the temple of the Lord was abandoned.

Joash was influenced from the outside. While he had Jehoiada, he was faithful to the Lord. But when Jehoiada was no longer with him, the pagan influences came back, and Joash fell right into line with "political correctness" -- expediency. Joash was not strong enough in the Lord to withstand the pressures of paganism. His fidelity to the Lord was dependent on the influence of Jehoiada.

Who influences you? Why are you faithful to the Lord? Is it because of your hunger for Him? Or is it because of family or community influences? Only an internal influence can keep you faithful to Him.

Father, God,

Imbue us with Your Holy Spirit. Help us to make Him the most important influence in our lives, that we may never be led astray.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

All or Nothing

Focus verses: II Kings 11:21-12:3

Today's reading is filled with political intrigue, murder, and paganism. The salvation of the people of Judah is tied to the coronation of Joash, the child king, and the influence of Jehoiada, the priest, who acted as regent while Joash was underage.

There was a resurrection of the worship of the Lord and all the people were feeling a sense of spiritual renewal. But -- and this was a big one -- but the high places were not removed and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Those were pagan places where the worship of other gods was conducted.

It doesn't work. We cannot worship God for most of life and keep a small corner of our lives where we continue to pay homage to other than God. What high places do we have in our lives?

What is important to you? Is family more important than God? Then you have an idol. What about your job? Your possessions? Your hobbies? Your secret sins?

If we are to have true spiritual renewal, we must sweep all these things off the high places in our hearts. Don't misunderstand here. Jobs and families and hobbies and possessions are important, but they are not to usurp first place in our hearts.

There is an order of priorities we need to maintain. It begins with God first. He must be most important in our lives. We need to think about Him day and night. We need to take all decisions and actions to Him for permission and approval before engaging in them.

Second in this lineup is family, and there is a proper order here. If we are single, our first loyalty should be with our parents. If we are married, our spouse takes first place in the family.

The other things in our lives need to fall into place in a descending order. Job, interests, possessions -- all need to be prioritized under the directions of our Lord.

But in worship, we must worship God entirely. Nothing else can command a high place in our lives. With God, it's all or nothing. He doesn't want your divided heart. He wants your whole heart.

Set your heart on God alone, and He will order the priorities of your life.

Father, God,

Grant us the favor of an undivided heart. Keep us from diluting our worship of You with inordinate concern for things and people. Help us to prioritize our lives with Your order.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.