Joel Littlefield

Psalm 26:2 “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.“

Last night was the United States state of the Union address. Many of you, before the President even began to speak knew you would hate everything he had to say. Based upon his record of non-biblical and foolish statements, you knew he would spout off dozens of offenses and then stand upon them with pride while half the room rose with grand ovation.

Being the good NETFLIX people that we are, it wasn’t even an option for me to watch it. I knew that I would see all the play-by-play action I could ever hope for just by scanning social media now and again. I was right. Not long in, the comments were streaming. I know I didn’t even see a fraction of all the world had to say, but I know that many were angry, fed-up and disappointed.

I bring this up, not because I have something to say about the address itself, (again, I didn’t see it) but because I have something to say about a different kind of address. The question comes to mind; what if we all gave a speech this moment about the true state of our hearts? What if we were charged with the task of speaking to a crowd of people filled with friends, family and strangers to speak the truth about how our hearts stand in accordance to the holy Word of God? Most of us would be fearful of the prospect because we know we would get little to no standing ovations, and some of us would simply refuse to speak.

It’s easy for us to complain at the leadership of our country and to blame the president for the mess we are in, but are you willing to blame yourself when the mess you are in is due directly to your choices? Are you willing to come to grips with the fact that your heart is in constant need of repair, often drifting from truth and from Christ Himself?

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1

The fact is, we are prone to drifting and have a much better chance of changing what we see in us than we do of changing our President or the state of our Union. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t vote or stand for goodness in the political arena, but that the majority of us when looking at our hearts with honesty will find more darkness there than in any government, and the concern would drive us to serious action. Even those who have been filled with the light of Christ’s salvation can see that He fills us despite our great evil. We are not saved because our hearts are good, but desperately wicked and depraved of goodness.

The heart and actions of the POTUS affect the world, but your heart and actions affect your home, your spouse, your children and your eternity.  In reality, it is not the president’s actions or the state of this Union that you will stand before God and answer for. You will stand alone and answer for yourself whether what you did with your time here on Earth was from a pure heart after the things of Christ.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!
        Try me and know my thoughts!”
Psalm 139:23

My challenge for you is to be ready with the same persistence and scrutiny that you hold against our leadership, and apply it to your spiritual state.  You will see some horrifying things when you look with honesty. It is important that you let the word of God be your rule, not your opinions or those of anyone else. The world will continue to change as people change and governments change, but God never changes. His throne is forever and it is to Him that we will all one day give account.