A DECISION TO ABANDON
Today's reading: 2 Chronicles 21-24

"They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshipped Asherah poles and idols instead!" 2 Chronicles 24:18 NLT

Lord,

I read about these folks in the Bible who made the decision to abandon, not only your Temple, but You.

How could they?

What were they thinking?

Where do they think it could possibly lead them?

Was it an easy decision? Did they wake up one morning with the decision made in their minds, and in their hearts?

Didn't it hurt You to let them choose this unwise path?

I know, I know--it's not just the people of old who have abandoned You.

There have been times I've leaned towards that decision myself. Times when I chose me over You. Moments when I've selected to comfort myself rather than obey You. Choices I've made that prove to You, and to the world, that something other than You led my life.

So, I know it didn't happen overnight. It wasn't a blatant decision. It crept in. It made itself comfortable. It's appealing offerings swayed my decisions. It settled into the crevices of my thoughts--and took root.

A decision to abandon You? How could they? How could I?  

My brethren, let me say, be like Christ at all times. Imitate Him in "public". Most of us live in some sort of public capacity -- many of us are called to work before our fellow-men every day. We are watched; our words are caught; our lives are examined -- taken to pieces. The eagle-eyed, argus-eyed world observes everything we do, and sharp critics are upon us. Let us live the life of Christ in public. Let us take care that we exhibit our Master, and not ourselves -- so that we can say, "It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me."            -- C. H. Spurgeon