“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know, we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:21-24.

We come in this chapter, 2 Chronicles 24, to a difference. Joash, king of Judah, was 7 years old when he became king and as long as he had Jehoiada, the chief priest, to guide him and Judah, he did well. But Jehoiada grew old and died and then Joash had other advisors that he listened to but he didn’t seek God to advise him. And the result? They turned to idols they made. v. 17-18. What did God do? Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen. v. 19.

Without God we are spiritually bankrupt. Prophets were killed. Joash was killed. The temple was ransacked to pay a foreign king. What a difference to when Jehoiada was alive and Joash ordered the rebuilding and restoring of the temple. Jehoiada couldn’t save Joash. Joash, himself, needed to choose God.

Jesus said the time has now come. He came to reveal the Father’s love and that truth is alive today.

We have reached the point where we even have artificial intelligence. Isn’t that also what was given to Joash from the advisors that led him back to worshiping what is not God? Artificial intelligence.

Can we long for what is true? Can we long for what lasts for eternity? Can we long for hope? One day we will all of us worship God in the Spirit and in truth. God’s love brings peace and hope brimming to life that is full. We can embrace that life now and as we do we will come to recognize the futility of life without God…a difference! God will bring us all back to Him because He is our Home and in Him we are loved. As you see and experience the discord, the anger, the hate of this world – turn back to God. Open your heart to Him. He’s here. Always! Taste and see a difference God’s love brings into your heart.