A Turned Heart

 "...And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord." I Kings 11:1-13

 
To this day, we still don't know what happened. None of us could figure out why our friend ejected himself from the training program after three years of investment. There was nothing else in mind to pursue, just "I quit." It was painful to watch as nothing came together for him. No focus. No long-term goals or planning. Just floundering. We have all kept a mental note of where he could have been if his heart hadn't been turned away.
 
King Solomon was a noble and godly man. He sought the will of God and the best for his people. He was a builder, an author, and a close observer of God's law for a very long time. Then it happened. His heart was turned. God gave strict instructions not to marry outside of the Jewish community. Solomon chose to diverge from that plan, God's plan. As a result, he shipwrecked his walk with God. A life that started out so strong ended up derailed at the end.    
 
The truth is that our heart belongs to someone or something. We are following the trajectory of that which we have placed in that position of influence. If we're not attentive to that which our heart is turned to, we'll end up in places that we didn't want to be. We may genuinely want to arrive in a different destination, but our heart is turned and we don't even know it. You see, we walk in the direction of our hearts. This reality explains God's greatest commandment -- "Love the Lord your God with all your HEART, soul, strength and mind."
 

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