Do You Have an Undivided Heart?

Narrow path to the Gretna, Nebraska, Chapel.
Holy Family Shrine

Prayer – Lord God, I praise You for You are awesome. Thank you for answered prayers…and for the answers that will come to requests. I trust that You hear our prayers. Please guard my heart and mind that I would seek to obey all Your commandments and honor You in all that I think, say, and do. I don’t want to have division in my heart or life. Keep me on Your narrow path. 

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he went out among the people, traveling from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, encouraging the people to return to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. He appointed judges throughout the nation in all the fortified towns, and he said to them, "Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the LORD. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case. Fear the LORD and judge with integrity, for the LORD our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes." In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges for cases involving the LORD's regulations and for civil disputes. These were his instructions to them: "You must always act in the fear of the LORD, with faithfulness and an undivided heart." 2 Chronicles 19:4-9 (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

 

Do you fear the Lord—with awesome respect?

            Jehoshaphat was a good king. There weren’t many like that. He was wise and had great integrity—qualities that he wanted in the judges that served in Israel. God was important to him—and he wanted others to fear or respect God like he did. Chronicles tells us that Jehoshaphat encouraged people to return to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. Is that good advice today? Do we need to “return to the Lord?” Have we gone away from Him? He certainly hasn’t moved—He is still in Heaven, the powerful and Almighty God who never changes.

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17

Do we do what pleases God? That is my goal…but I know that I cannot do it without Him. In the first place, I have to submissively give my time and attention to His word—reading the Bible frequently—maybe more than once a day—and praying constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17)—so that I even have a clue as to what He wants me to do with an undivided heart! With that I show Him my love and respect—that holy fear of the Lord. Yep! I am on that path—but I have to rely on Him to keep me going and not to veer down that broad easy road that leads nowhere—or somewhere else with a divided heart motive. Faithfulness is the key. God is faithful to us. Are we faithful to Him? What path are you choosing to walk down today?

 

Jerusalem from Mt of Olives
Israel

Verse of Salvation ~ [Salvation is our ultimate goal—for people around the world.]  Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch. Isaiah 62:1

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

 

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories