Key Scripture:

“A time to break down, and a time to build up.” Ecclesiastes 3:3b

Devotional:

Have you ever had a conversation with God that went a little something like, “God, you can have every part of my life except _______?”

In Proverbs 14, Solomon writes, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”¹ As I think on these words, it’s hard not to see the connection to Solomon’s own experiences recounted in 1 Kings 3:1-3:

“Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord. Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.”

As the newly crowned King of Israel, it likely seemed right to enter into a marriage alliance with foreign nations despite God’s warnings against intermarriage with foreign nations.² It likely seemed right because he loved the Lord. Except he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places to their gods. Even Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live,³ made compromises—knowingly or unknowingly—that put him on a specific path that led him to turn his heart from the Lord. That path ultimately led to the spiritual downfall, not only for him, but for the Kingdom of Israel as well.⁴

The reason I start here is because part of me thinks that this is exactly where this generation is in this day and age. I think that a lot of us love the Lord with all our hearts. I think a lot of us are hungry for God and the wisdom He offers. Yet, we find ourselves saying, “God, you can have every part of my life except _______.”

It may be anger and resentment towards someone who hurt you. It may be an addiction to porn. It may be a secret that if you’re honest about, it will blow up life as you know it. Whatever it is, it may seem right to keep it hidden.  However, it will take you down a path, and that path will always lead to destruction.

So, what are we to do? Hebrews 12:1-2 has an invitation for every one of us:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Despite all our sins and all our shortcomings, the invitation isn’t just to come and see, but to come and die to every weight and sin that clings so closely. In that, we will find the One who is truly life. Isn’t it silly to try and play tug-of-war over our idols and secrets with the God of the universe, who promises to bring all darkness to light?⁵

I’d hate to be the one to break the bad news to you, but that “except” that you are holding onto isn’t really the anchor for your soul, but instead an idol for your destruction. If you can’t let something go, it owns you, not the other way around. Our God is a jealous God, and He doesn’t sit on the sidelines and give us over to our complacency. Instead, with ferocity, He goes after our hearts and crushes our idols, even if it leaves us in an uncomfortable mess for a little bit. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”⁶

Wouldn’t it be just like God to take the things that could break us into a million pieces, and instead use them to build something in our life that is more beautiful than anything we could have ever imagined? With that in mind, I challenge you to confess, lay aside all the sins that cling so closely, lace up your running shoes and run the race that is set before you, clinging to Jesus, the only one who can save. 

Let’s run.

Deepening questions:

• What idols are you clinging to? What are you believing about them? 

Further reading:

1 Kings 3:1-3, Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 John 1:9, Hebrews 12:1-3

Footnotes:

¹ Proverbs 14:12 ² Deuteronomy 7:3-4; Deuteronomy 12:1-14; Exodus 25-31; Exodus 35-40 ³ 1 Kings 4:29 ⁴ 1 Kings 11:4-10 ⁵ John 8:12 ⁶ Ephesians 2:10