What is Deep in You?

"Don't you believe that there is in man a deep so profound as to be hidden even to him in whom it is?" - St. Augustine

Augustine asks an interesting question. Before you jump to fast to answer let us examine an Old King of Judah, Hezekiah.

Hezekiah had been told by the Lord he was to order his affairs because his earthly departure date had arrived. Grieved by the thought, Hezekiah mourns about his earthly loss as opposed to embracing his eternal gain. God decides (for reasons known only to Him) to reschedule the appointment for 15 years in the future. After this the following statements are made:

2 Chronicles 32:25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud…

2 Chronicles 32: 31 And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

Now to be fair, verse 26 states that he repented and God restrained His wrath for a season, however what was in Hezekiah’s heart was pride that was continually displayed in self-exaltation. Rather than bless the Lord who healed he bragged on the blessings of the kingdom. Rather than showing the Babylonian envoy the sundial and tell how God turned back the hand of time he showed them all the goods God had given him (see 2 Kings 20:13-20 for a fuller explanation). Hezekiah failed the testing. He bragged on the benefits and not the benefactor. The glory of the kingdom was emphasized over the greatness of God.

Perhaps you don’t see the connection, so let me be more specific in reveling a Hezekiah heart in a 21 century way.

When we market, advertise and communicate in print or in person that we are, attend, or represent “the best church” or “the best ministry” we embrace the deep heart of Hezekiah. When the glory of the bride transcends the greatness of the groom, we fail the test. We take God for granted and vainly use His name. We focus and bring others (Babylonians and unbelievers) to focus on lesser things and not Christ alone. The “goods” cause us and others to view God for the goodies and not His greatness. He won’t stand long for that.

So if you are given over to your own self, what would your heart reveal? Would you be found trustworthy or…a traitor?

Chris Gilliam © 2009