“…obey the Lord willingly…Serve the Lord your God…Come back to the Lord…The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return to him.” 2 Chronicles 30:8,9
How many times have I needed to hear these words? If I’m honest it would be just about every moment of every day because my heart is selfish, unkind and downright wicked at times. “I want to be back in Phoenix”, “I want to be driving my convertible again”, I want my kids around me”, “I want to go out for coffee with my friends”…I want, I want, I want. Don’t read any God in those “I want’s” do you? Satan has a way of trying to steep me in the thoughts of ‘God doesn’t really want you to be in Kenya’ or ‘would God really want you to be away from your family and friends?’ (sound familiar? read Genesis 3). If I allow him to pound me with those thoughts I would most certainly be lost to depression, anger and any other negative emotion that takes me away from God’s joy.
Instead I hear God speak to me through His word and begin to feel his kindness and mercy anew…aahhh. Obeying, serving and turning back to Him and feeling His love, purpose and desires for my life is how I tell Satan to take a hike.