Good or Great?

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5

I’ve been very guilty of settling spiritually in my life. This sort of complacency was a plague in the Old Testament kings of Judah.

A few years ago I remember when God began to talk to me during my study time about parts of my heart that I wasn’t giving over to Him. I continue to struggle with areas that I want to hold back. Thoughts that I want to keep to myself. But as I read about the kings of Judah I realized something important. They were classified as evil, good, or great. The evil kings followed false gods with heart and soul. They sacrificed their children to Molech and led their people away from the one true God. The good kings worshiped the one true God and followed His ways. But they did not tear down the high places, the altars where people made sacrifices to false gods. The great kings not only pursued God, but they also tore down every high place that they could find and led their people to the truth. They didn’t care if it made them popular. These kings burned with a righteous anger toward anything in the land that was unholy. One of the kings went so far as to desecrate the high places so that no one could worship idols there in the future.

I realize that I’ve settled for my own goodness, tolerating things in my heart that have no business being there. And if I want God to be great through me then I have to give up the fight. I can’t continue to ignore the high places. I need to destroy them. It takes so much energy and time to hold on to those idols: thoughts of revenge, entertainment, lust, gluttony, greed, gossip and other distractions. So, join me in letting go of what is holding us back from loving God with heart and soul and mind.

Heavenly Father, Forgive me for cherishing grudges and wrong desires. Anything that is a high place I give to You. No turning back. I want to love You with every bit of my being. In Jesus Name, Amen

Journal

What does the Bible say about high places?

What high places have a stronghold in your life?

What needs to happen for you to break free?