“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign L ord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the L ord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’”

The human heart is considered the center of an individual’s passion and spirit. Every person is susceptible to having someone or something become the focus and center of their heart’s desire and devotion.

Here in this passage, the leaders of Israel had strayed from their full devotion to God and had replaced that with the pursuit of their own idols and fleshly desires. God always wants to recapture the hearts of His people. We must always be careful to not let anything captivate our allegiance and devotion in such a way that it replaces or weakens our commitment to God. In God’s sovereign plan, he allows hardship and will even discipline when people have sinned in order to bring them back to that place of full devotion to Him. He loves us enough to discipline us and help us to come back to that place of His blessing.

I am moved by these words to set my heart to be fully devoted to Him in everything. I need to be careful to examine my heart and my life in order to purge anything that’s there that would draw me away from serving my Lord.

This world is full of enticing options and temptations that can captivate the heart and the imagination. I need to stay captivated by the living God and give myself wholeheartedly to the assignments that He’s given to me. I do not want squander the wonderful privilege of living for God with my whole heart. I do not want to have to have God intercept me and discipline me for getting distracted and going my own way. I know in the long run it will rob me of joy and opportunities to serve Him. I want to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God and I know that fruitfulness will come from a heart that is abiding in Jesus and fully devoted to His will.

Dear Lord Jesus, help me to live for you wholeheartedly. Thank You for reminding me of the dangers of being distracted by the idols and pursuits of this world. I set my heart to serve You and obey You fully. Fill me with your Spirit this day that I may hear your voice and obey You in all things.