The King’s Heart

“Follow me.” Luke 5:27

How truly remarkable that Levi, a sinful tax collector, got up from his post and followed Jesus after a simple invitation. Many of us are praying for the conversion of our President and other leaders in our country. If Jesus were here today, we may be shocked if he joined the President and his friends in Malacañang just as He was the guest of honor at Levi’s house with many other tax collectors. 

After all, after the Pharisees complained to Him, “Why are you eating and drinking with such scum?” Jesus answered, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” Aren’t we all sinners? 

In the first reading for today from Isaiah 58:9b-14, we will realize what God wants from us before removing the pervading darkness in our country. He is waiting for us to turn back to Him before healing our land. “If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; If you bestow bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; the light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; Then the Lord will guide you always and give you plenty even on parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden...” There are more beautiful promises to claim from our God if we but turn to Him. 

We have to do our part, pray, discern and vote wisely, help those in need, speak the truth, do good always. As usual, I am preaching to myself. These days it is so tempting to take on the trolls and insult them on Facebook posts! Lord, give us the strength and the wisdom to follow You! So You can fulfill Your promises and with a simple invitation, turn our President’s heart to You! After all, it says in Proverbs 21, “The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”