“Again the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy exists among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers.” (Jeremiah 11:9–10, ESV)
I have met several people in my time of ministry that have experienced heart issues. Some had problems with blockages in their heart that resulted in shortness of breath and an inability to function correctly. In extreme cases heart disease can lead to death. It is one of the leading causes of death. The condition of the heart has much to do with the longevity of healthy living.
Israel had a heart problem that led to their pending demise. We need to consider their history. The Southern Kingdom, Judah had a succession of kings. Some were good kings who sought after God for the nation. However, some were evil kings that brought idolatry into the nation. Manasseh was an evil king who brought gross idolatry to the nation. Under his reign the seeds of idolatry and apostasy were sown deep into the hearts of the people.
Following Manasseh, Amon who was also an evil king reigned for two years. Then Josiah, a good king, reigned and brought great religious reforms to the Southern Kingdom. He restored the Temple, tore down the places of idol worship, and had the nation return to worshipping the one true God. However, after Josiah there again came a series of evil kings who allowed pagan idolatry to rise in the nation. In other words, Josiah’s reforms that returned the nation to worship the true God was short lived.
What was the problem with the nation? How could they in Josiah’s time worship God and then so quickly move back into idolatry. The problem was likely one of the heart. Josiah’s reforms did move the nation to forsake false gods and worship the one true God. However, their worship of God was more of forced external exercise that did not come from the heart. It had not penetrated the heart of the nation such to produce long-term devotion to the Lord their God.
This problem of legalism can so penetrate believers and churches today. When worship becomes a ritualistic obligation rather than the outpouring of the heart in awe and wonder at the magnificence of our God, legalism is at the core. This typifies a heart problem. When this hardness of heart exists, moral failure is sure to follow. This is exactly the problem that the nation of Israel had at the time of Jeremiah and it is too prevalent in church life today.
Believers and churches must get back to the heart of worship. It is not the routine obligation for one hour on a Sunday. Worship is born in the heart of believers and must be integral in every aspect of their life. When it is, it will absolutely transform the Sunday gathering. People will no longer be counting the minutes until they can go home. They will stop daydreaming. They will cease playing with their smart phones. Instead, they will be moved in their hearts to, sing, to praise, to respond to the sermon, and fully surrender to the Lord.
Renewing the Heart 