2 Chronicles 25:1-8: a reflection

1Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan, of Jerusalem. 2He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, but not with a perfect heart. 3Now when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed his father the king. 4But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin.” 5Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and ordered them according to their fathers’ houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. He counted them from twenty years old and upward, and found that there were three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go out to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7A man of God came to him, saying, “O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim. 8But if you will go, take action, and be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow.”

The text gives a telling summary of King Amaziah: he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not with a whole heart. He was not an openly wicked king; he did right, in the main. But his devotion was divided, half-hearted, not wholly given to God. And this divided devotion would show in his reign, in compromises and eventual turning; the qualifier, not with a whole heart, marks a devotion that was real but incomplete, given in part but not fully.

Notice the qualifier on Amaziah's obedience: not with a whole heart. He did right, but not wholly; his devotion was divided, part given to God and part held back. This half-hearted devotion is a danger the passage marks: not open wickedness, but a divided heart, doing right in part while holding something back, serving God without the whole heart. Such divided devotion is not the whole-hearted service God desires, and it leaves us open to compromise and eventual turning.

That warning against half-hearted devotion is one we can need, for our own devotion can be divided in the same way. We can do right, in the main, and yet not with a whole heart, our devotion divided, part given to God and part held back, serving him without giving him the whole. But God desires the whole heart, not a divided one; and half-hearted devotion, doing right in part while holding something back, leaves us open to compromise. Examine your own devotion: is it whole-hearted, or divided, given in part but not fully? Do not be content with a half-hearted devotion that does right in the main while holding something back from God; give him your whole heart, not a divided one. Amaziah did right, but not with a whole heart, and it marked his reign; do not let your own devotion be half-hearted and divided, but give God the whole heart he desires, serving him fully rather than in part, lest a divided devotion leave you open to compromise, as it left Amaziah.

Lord, the text gives a telling summary of King Amaziah: he did what was right in your eyes, but not with a whole heart. He was not openly wicked; he did right, in the main. But his devotion was divided, half-hearted, not wholly given to you, and it would show in compromises and eventual turning. Show me the qualifier on his obedience: not with a whole heart. He did right, but not wholly; his devotion was divided, part given to you and part held back. Let that warning against half-hearted devotion reach me, for my own devotion can be divided in the same way. I can do right, in the main, and yet not with a whole heart, my devotion divided, part given to you and part held back, serving you without giving you the whole. But you desire the whole heart, not a divided one; and half-hearted devotion leaves me open to compromise. Help me examine my own devotion: is it whole-hearted, or divided, given in part but not fully? Keep me from being content with a half-hearted devotion that does right in the main while holding something back from you; help me give you my whole heart, not a divided one. Amaziah did right, but not with a whole heart, and it marked his reign; do not let my own devotion be half-hearted and divided, Lord, but help me give you the whole heart you desire, serving you fully rather than in part. Give me a whole heart for you.