True Transformation

In 2 Kings 22-23, we read of the reign of Josiah, king of Judah - one of the few kings who had a heart that was completely committed to following God.

Josiah undertook great work to remove evil from the land of Judah. He was thorough in his destruction of idols and places used for idol worship throughout his kingdom. There was nothing and no one left related to idol worship. Josiah followed God as completely as he knew how.

But then we read these words about Jehoahaz, who succeeded Josiah as king:
"He did evil in they eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done." (2 Kings 23:32)

After a king who followed God so fully, as Josiah did, this seems almost unexpected. Even if he didn't follow God to the same degree as his father had, to have Jehoahaz turn and do evil in God's eyes . . .

How could this happen? How could Judah's kings go from zealously following God to doing evil in His eyes so quickly? What happened?

To read it seems shocking, but when I really stop to think about it, it's actually a really common cycle in our lives as well. We can be passionately following God in complete obedience for a while, and then we're walking in disobedience to God's ways right after that.

At a glance, there doesn't seem to be any logical reason for why this happens. Whether we see it happening in Scripture or whether we see it in our own lives or the lives of those we know, it doesn't really make sense at first.

The more I think about this, the more I begin to wonder if part of it isn't that it's easy to go along with passionate obedience when that's what you're surrounded with, but not experience the true heart change yourself. And I wonder if that's what happened to Jehoahaz.

He would have been a part of some of Josiah's reforms and likely caught up in them. But he may not have experienced the true heart change that needs to go along with it. So when he became king and was no longer following a leader who passionately and completely followed God. Jehoahaz went back to where he heart really was.

And I think the same things can happen to us. We go to an event where God is really at work and get caught up in the excitement of it. We go along with it all on the outside and no one looking at us is going to see us as any different from anyone else. We may not even realize there's anything different for us, then for others. But, as soon as we're not in the environment or with those people, we go back to our old way, because we didn't experience the true heart transformation that others did.

So, how do we guard against this? Is there anything we can do?

I think this is where we need to be intentional about inviting God in. When Josiah was made aware of all of God's truth, he wasn't willing to do anything less than all God required of him. Josiah made sure he was dealing with all of the sin in his life and in his kingdom. Josiah didn't just deal with the obvious. He was thorough in removing all remnants of idol worship from God's people.

This has to be our attitude as well. If we're going to experience true, lasting transformation, we have to invite God in. Once we invite Him is, we need to give Him full freedom to deal with all that He finds.

Fix Your Thoughts

"Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." (Hebrews 2:18)

I think we would all say we're familiar with what it's like to be tempted. We all struggle with it.

That makes this verse from Hebrews more of an encouragement and comfort for us. Jesus understands when we come to Him, because He's experienced it. He never gave into the temptation, but He knows what it's like to face it.

Sometimes I think the chapter divisions in our Bibles can cause us to miss some important thinks. And I feel like this is one of those times. I know I've missed it until recently.

Hebrews 3:1 gives us a clear way that we can find this help in our temptation:
"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest."

When we're fixing our thoughts on Jesus, temptations lose their allure. They no longer have the same pull on us. We can't focus on them and on Jesus at the same time. It's just not possible.

So, how do we fix our thoughts on Jesus?

It's easy to say as the solution, but we need to know what it actually looks like. Without the practical side, it can be easy to just end up defeated again.

So, what does it look like to practically fix our thoughts on Jesus?

In the moment, it may begin with calling out the name of Jesus. When the temptation feels strong, simply saying His Name changes things. It moves our eyes and our thoughts to a new place.

We can also choose to play worship music to change our focus in the moment when we're struggling.

I think it also means being proactive. Paying attention to the choices you're making. Making choices that are pleasing to God.

None of this means, we'll never struggle again. That would be nice, but it's not the reality we live with. We will continue to battle temptation as long as we walk on earth. We continue to make the choice to fix our thoughts on Jesus - on a moment by moment, daily basis.

Seeing with Spiritual Eyes

Often we look at our situation and are overwhelmed by what we see. We're seeing with our physical eyes what is going on and it doesn't look good.

But, when we're seeing with just our physical eyes, we're missing a lot. What if there is more for us to see? And, what if that more would change everything for us?

I was challenged by this thought when I was reading in 2 Kings 6 lately. Elisha, God's prophet, is being pursued to be killed the king of Aram. One day, it seemed inevitable that the king of Aram would get his way. His army was encamped around the city where Elisha was living.

2 Kings 6:15-17 says:

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?" the servant asked.
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, "Open his eyes, Lord, that he may see." The the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Elisha's servant could only see with his human eyes when he first went out and looked at the army surrounding the city. When he looked, all he saw was the army of Aram surrounding them and he was afraid. Elisha was seeing with spiritual eyes and saw God's army there fighting for them.

Once Elisha prayed for his servant's spiritual eyes to be opened, the servant could see that God's power of their side was more powerful than the army coming against them. Now the servant was seeing what Elisha saw that took away fear.

I think we're often like the servant. We see with our physical eyes and we're overwhelmed with our situation or we see it as a lost cause. It's in these moments that we need to ask God to help us see with spiritual eyes. With eyes that see Him at work, fighting the battle for us. Eyes that see the assurance of victory in the end, if we trust Him.

Where do you need to ask God to help you see with spiritual eyes, rather than just your physical eyes?