An undivided heart!

Jehoshaphat was one of the good kings of Judah. He was responsible for many reforms in Judah and was mostly faithful to encourage people to return to God and to worship Him correctly. He was far from perfect, and, at one point, received a rebuke from a prophet of the Lord. His response to that rebuke reveals the character of his heart. He accepted the rebuke and set about to do the right thing. As leaders, we all ought to strive to respond as Jehoshaphat did here.

In our text for the day, Jehoshaphat sets out to appoint judges throughout the land of Judah. They were to keep order in the land and to make sure the people were following the laws of the Lord. His instructions were simple and were comprised of three things; act in the fear of the Lord, do it with integrity, and with an undivided heart.

All three of these things are vital for good judgment, but it is the third one that stood out to me today. Good judgment comes out of an undivided heart. A divided heart is one in which affection is directed to more than one object. For example; if I were to love my wife and another woman, my heart is divided. The effect of that would be that I would not love either one as I should. An undivided heart would put my wife as my only love, and all other women are to be treated as if they were my sister, daughter, or mother.

If we sense we might have an undivided heart, we ought to immediately humble ourselves before the Lord. The first of the three instructions Jehoshaphat gave was to act in the fear of the Lord. Determine what the Lord thinks about your heart, and then make whatever changes you need to get your heart where it should be. An undivided heart is a heart at peace.

In essence, Jehoshaphat is telling these men to do what is right, and to judge in a way that causes others to do what is right. There is certainly a personal application in that for all of us. If we want to do what is right, we will do it because we have a awe-filled fear of the God, and have allowed His Spirit to build integrity into our lives, and because we have undivided hearts.

In these instructions is the idea that we need to get to know God better. We can’t do what Jehoshaphat is instructing here if we do not know God and His ways, will, and Word. Get to know God better and better. As you do, you will know how to act in integrity and the Holy Spirit will show you where your heart might be divided. The most obvious way to do that is by reading God’s Word regularly. It is a mirror that will show you Jesus and you compared to Jesus. We also grow in our knowledge of God by being in community with other believers, and by being involved in serving God or His church. An undivided heart is one of the keys to good judgment, to doing the right things. Keep getting to know God until He has all your heart. Jesus, make our hearts one with Yours.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37; Romans 10:14-11:12; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 20:4-6