In our reading today we were confronted with examples and warning regarding "falling away". First in 2 Kings 21 we were introduced to the life of Manasseh. Manasseh was the son of the good king, Hezekiah, but unfortunately he did not follow in his father's footsteps. In fact, all the reforms his father initiated, Manasseh turned around. In fact, God's assessment of Manasseh is as bleak as it could be. In verse 9 it says, "But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel." Can you imagine that? The Lord declares that one of the kings of his people led them astray to do more evil than the nations the Lord had driven away. That is a far and deep fall from the Lord's intentions for His people.
As we look into the book of Hebrews, chapter 3, we are given a warning. In verses 7ff, the author warns, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their hearts; they have not know my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" The author concludes with these words, "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God."
Finally, in the book of Hosea, the 14th chapter we have this exhortation. "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take with you words and return to the Lord;..." This sentiment is seen throughout the book. Israel had fallen from its privileged position and the prophet was calling them to return.
How prominent are these kinds of words in the Scripture! God's people have been so prone to wander. Is there any hope?
We pick up at least two helps for the wandering heart. The first is to daily say the prayer found at the end of Psalm 139. "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
This God, who is so intimately acquainted knows our hearts. There is nothing hidden from Him. It makes sense that we ask the Lord to reveal to us what we may not see. The Lord sees those seeds of "falling away" and He is able to bring things into our lives to show us that they are there. Often in those trying times, God shows us those "hurtful ways" and if we remain tender to Him and rely on His grace, we can dig them out before they take root.
A second aid to avoid falling away is folow the counsel of Hebrews 3:13. "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today', that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." This means that we must be committed to community with God's people, and not just "hanging out" with others, but speaking into their lives. For when we speak into the lives of others we will be speaking into our own lives as well.
Brothers and sisters, Christ lives in us through His Spirit. He is strong and powerful enough to show us those hurtful ways and to lead us into His way everlasting. May we pursue with His help all that He intends for us individual and as a people.
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