SCRIPTURE: 2 Chronicles 25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not wholeheartedly. [2 Chronicles 25:2]
Did what was pleasing… but not wholeheartedly.
It seems that Amaziah was aware of God’s rules, but he was not wholeheartedly committed to them.
In today’s passage, he shows signs of goodness (does not kill children for parent’s crimes, sends paid soldiers home at warning from prophet), but also of sinful cruelty and folly (throwing men from cliff, worshiping Edomite gods, arrogantly attacking Israel).
This chapter shows how God’s purpose is intertwined with humanity’s immorality.
God is working through flawed people, and sometimes they mess up bad; this story reminds me of a recent public fall of an outspoken, well-known Christian leader due to secret immorality.
He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not wholeheartedly.
There was a part of his heart that he kept closed to God, and it proved to be his downfall.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22:37-40]
There is a deep connection between loving and obeying God wholeheartedly, and loving people.
Amaziah’s cruel treatment of the soldiers, of his willingness to tolerate the corrupt mercenary soldiers (see how the ones he keeps plunder his own towns), and his arrogant attitude to Israel – these are all failures to love people, and are the inevitable result of his duplicity or half-heartedness toward God.
What happens is that when we leave a space in our heart that we do not surrender to God, it becomes a breeding ground for unhealthy, unholy attitudes and desires which become unhealthy, unholy behaviours.
What this means is that the solution to our sinful tendencies is to strengthen our love for God; as our hearts grow deeper in our love and obedience to God, then our love for people will get better, stronger.

God is working to restore our broken hearts, to remake us into people that love Him and love people – this is the whole point of the bible, of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In today’s reading, God was working through His prophets and through circumstances to show Amaziah that he needed to love and serve Him wholeheartedly.
When Amaziah refused – and many people suffered as a consequence – God had to bring him down.
God is working through our circumstances, and through His ‘prophets’ today.
I believe we all receive ample warning before God finally lets us experience the consequences of our choices.
God does not want to make us suffer, but if we refuse to open our hearts to Him, He allows us to pay for it.

Today’s reading for me is a call to look at my own heart.
Yes, I am trying to do what is right and pleasing before God… but am I doing so wholeheartedly?

PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for showing me where half-heartedness leads. I want to love You with my whole heart, and I want to love people and treat them right.