What do we think about when we talk about our hearts? As I ask that question, I am not thinking of how many beats per minute, but rather the definition of heart that defines it as the center of all of our being. Taking the word “heart” a step further I think of the joy, sadness, or a place where our desires reside. Yes, heart as we look at God’s Word is so much more than just the physical circulation of blood. So, let us back up to our first question and think again about our heart. The heart as being the center of all of our being. The center of us has only one place to look at; is that looking toward God? So now we look at the heart in our relationship to God’s Word. That is what I thought of as I read about King Hezekiah in the book of 2 Chronicles. It could be easy to look at him and question his actions, or empathize with him, or just simply take it as a really nice story that we see in the Bible. Let us take a few minutes here to look at the heart of Hezekiah, and how our hearts are aligned. After all, as God’s Word says to us, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23 NASB).
When Hezekiah became king, he, like many of the kings did the right things in the eyes of the Lord. Now, Hezekiah stayed with the Lord as we see in 2 Chronicles, although he did have his struggle with pride. But, as the reign of Hezekiah started, he moved God’s people in a direction of reforming, and as well worship of God was brought back to the temple. As we know a struggle of God’s people has always been a drift in the focus of who and what is to be worshipped. Have you drifted, are you drifting? Let God work in your heart, and do not succumb to the temptation of feeling and falling into condemnation. None of us are alone in that struggle at times as we seek to keep our worship focused on the One True God. God worked in His people on the changes they wanted to make and that they made. 2 Chronicles 29:36 points us to joy as we find it stating, “Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.” When we open our hearts to God’s life-changing transformation be prepared! A heart turned to God is to have a confident expectation in what He will do. “For the Lord Your God is gracious and compassionate and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him” (2 Chronicles 30:9).
I would like us to spend a moment and see how God’s Word speaks to us in 2 Chronicles 30:18-20. “…Had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘May the good Lord pardon everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.’ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.” This is a Scripture that packs a punch and possibly deserves more attention than we will give it here. But hear me as write; God does not want the traditions of what religion may have become for you and me. He desires our hearts, the very center of our being. Is a tradition that you were taught about religion keeping you from entering into the relationship that changes everything? Know that God hears and sees your heart and is the One who will heal you.
The heart of Hezekiah was all in for God as we read these chapters and verses. As Hezekiah performed the duties as a king that God called Him to, we read that Hezekiah “did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 31:20). I have read and reread this section (2 Chronicles 31:20-21) looking to see the fact that Hezekiah was perfect and following all the traditions. That my friends is not written there. But I do read that Hezekiah “did with all his heart.” If you feel the need to stop reading and praise God right now, please go right ahead.
This story of Hezekiah ends as we find Hezekiah struggling with something called pride. His heart became proud, and the Lord took notice. But we find that as Hezekiah opened his heart back towards the Lord, the pride in him was humbled (2 Chronicles 32:24-26). Hezekiah prospered in all the ways in which he served the Lord. He kept his heart aligned with the Lord as he served God and God’s people to the end.
This story of Hezekiah shows us that his life seems to be one filled with some struggles that the king who was seeking to serve the King had to overcome. The king’s heart, the center of his being kept seeking the Lord. Where are you right now, where is your heart, where and what is your heart seeking? Do not go seeking stale religious traditions, man-made happiness, and created gods of this world. Wait, you say it is too late because that is where you are, and that is what you have been doing. It is never too late to turn anew to the Lord, or to turn back to the Lord. He wants your heart, give it to Him.