I Kings 8:37-38 v. 37 - If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
v. 38 - What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house
I’m presently reading through I Kings. Verses 22-61 are Solomon’s prayer of dedication after the Ark is brought into the Temple. As I was going through this chapter, I found my heart once again longing for the time when we will actually be in the presence of our Saviour Yeshua as He rules and reigns upon this earth.
Our world is in terrible shape. It's actually in a terribly sinful state. But since nothing is sin anymore, we're all in sort of a stupor concerning what God's Word actually proclaims about it all. I still think it begins with the personal condition of the preachers though. As the preachers go, so goes the congregation. (Preaching to myself too!)
I know we have Trump as president; but honestly, we are way beyond the help of man. And, quite frankly, I believe our country is beyond wide spread intervention from God. Please don’t get me wrong. God is still alive and working in the hearts and lives of all His creation wherever they are on this globe. However, to whom much is given much is required.
But … enough of that.
I’m speaking to those of us who are born-again — those who have truly had their sins cleansed and forgiven through the shed blood of Yeshua.
My focus is upon: “every man knowing the plague of his own heart.” This is a fascinating statement. It’s at least emphasizing that the condition of God’s people, as a body, comes down to the individual. It gets very specific too — right down to everyday life: blasting (blight), mildew, caterpillar. These are things that bring about, at various speeds and intensities, destruction. It’s almost like a slow death.
So when God’s people see the condition in the church/assembly/congregation slowly deteriorating, (which I hope we do) then perhaps it’s time to take personal inventory. We need to find the plague of our own heart. The individual can’t hide in the collective whole and think their personal life and conduct has no impact upon the Body of Messiah. It does.
But as your personal life can impact the Body of Messiah negatively, it can also impact it positively as well. Yes, you’re just one person. Perhaps you think that, in the greater scheme of things, your impact amounts to very little. However, that’s not true in the eyes of God. He has saved each one of us for His own purpose. And we can rest assured that “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Yeshua Messiah.” (Philippians 1:6)
Yehovah is performing His desired work in our lives. It's our duty to examine our hearts and see what plague is hiding in there. You may think there isn’t anything lurking in there, but trust me … there is.
Why not start here?
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Ps. 139: 23-24