Who Is On My Side?

"And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who?"(2 Kings 9:32)

So, I've noticed a pattern. Remember the book of Judges and how Israel was always fighting outside armies? Well, in 2 Kings the problem is that the enemy is already inside, the destructive seed being the worshipping of golden calves and Baal. But the pattern, the cycle, is that after they start to follow other gods a prophet or king comes and reminds them of their covenant position with the Lord God, and re-covenants with them, and the false priests and followers and destroyed from among the people.

Jehu asks "Who is on my side?" before killing the wicked queen Jezebel.

He then gathers all the priests of Baal, saying, "Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only" (2 Kings 10:23).

Jehoiada the priest "made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; between the king also and the people. And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down(2 Kings 11:17-18).

I was thinking about this, and how our lives aren't so different. We "all like sheep have gone astray" (Isaiah 53:6). But that's okay, that's why we have a Shepard, a Savior. That's why we take the sacrament every Sunday. That is the way we remember whose side we are on, we can remember the covenants we have made, and renew them, rededicate ourselves.

But, that's only part of the repentance process. We still need to get ride of those things that would entice us to sin again. If we have built up alters, or chosen friends or heroes that would lead us from Christ then we must put them outside of our lives. For example, my sister had to get rid of Netflix, not because it was evil or anything, but because it enabled her to watch bad movies, ones that started to make her focus on the negative things of life, increasing negative feelings and influences.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, do it with me. Together, this Sunday, let's take the sacrament, consciously renew our covenants, remember who's side we're on, and then get rid of everything that doesn't strengthen us in Christ. What destroys us most are those things we invite in through the front door, subtle and persuasive habits and ideas and people. Then, the only thing that will remain is Christ, and He is life and salvation.

I promise, personal happiness will increase.