We have three teenage boys. One in college, two in high school. We have told them all through life, “If you don’t learn how to say ‘No’ to things, it means you will still say ‘No’ by your actions.” By that we mean you quite simply can’t say “Yes” to everything and get it done. You will still choose. So, you may have told some friend, or some teacher, or some parent, that you WOULD do something, but decided another thing you said “yes” to was more important, so you went and did that instead.

We carry that habit into our Christian lives. When we don’t have the discipline of “NO” in our lives, we will more often than not, by default, tell God “NO.”

In my own life there may be some things the Lord wants to talk to me about. Not necessarily things of sin, but matters where if I would adjust my priorities of time I would find a richer time with him. Maybe I sense that in my spirit and I agree. Yet, if I do not make the adjustments, I am essentially saying to a holy God, “This other thing is more important.”

Israel’s struggle before the exile was being a nation who truly served ONE GOD. They were called to serve one God, they just never got around to it. Even the most righteous kings who would call Israel back to Temple worship left idols up in the hill country. They couldn’t make the all out effort to say YES to God.

The exile cured that. Israel became radically monotheistic and they haven’t had that problem since returning from captivity.

What will cure it for us? What will get us to finally get the idols out of the hill country and truly serve our God?