Passage Read: 2 Chronicles 10-13
Meditation Verse: 12:14
Thought
This one sentence explains so much! Rehoboam did evil because he didn't set his heart to seek the Lord. It's just as simple as that. If someone sets their heart to seek the Lord, they are too busy to do evil. They are too enamored with the glory of the Lord to do anything that would offend Him. But if someone has not set their heart on seeking the Lord, then he has all kinds of opportunity to do evil and he doesn't care much for what the Lord thinks, so he's not careful with his choices and ways. He may do some things right, he might even do many things right, depending on the influences around him, but he will not consume himself with knowing and pleasing the Lord. It's not the set of his heart. It's just one of many things he pursues, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Application
We are sinners because we do not set our hearts to seek the Lord. But when we set our heart to seek the Lord, we're focused on knowing and doing that which pleases Him. We conquer sin and temptation because we're focused on the holiness and righteousness of God, we're focused on doing what is holy and righteous before God. So John tells us that we have overcome the world, that we do not continue in sin because God's Spirit lives in us, that we do what is righteous, that we live in love as God defines love. Living a righteous life is possible. Successfully resisting sin and temptation is possible. It has everything to do with the power and presence of God in my life, but I must be committed to knowing and doing the will of God, to set my heart on seeking the Lord. When that is the set of my heart, I can have victory over sin and live a righteous life.