Wholehearted Obedience
Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. … He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly. 2 Chronicles 25:1-2 NIV
Beware of half-hearted obedience! You may be compliant on the outside, but your hearts are far from what the Lord desires. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders for their hypocrisy, ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.'” Matthew 15:8-9 NIV
Obedience to God is a matter first of our hearts and then our actions. These two must be aligned for wholehearted obedience instead of half-hearted obedience.
Amaziah was a king of conflicting values. There were times during his leadership when he obeyed God. Yet, there were other times when he rebelled and disobeyed. Thus, the author of 2 Chronicles says of him, ‘he did what was right, but not wholeheartedly.’
The word ‘mediocre’ comes from two Latin roots which literally means, ‘half-way up the mountain.’ A half-hearted obedience is one sets off for the summit, but settles for half-way to the top!
Is your leadership ‘mediocre?’ Have you settled for half-way to the summit?
Do you find yourself struggling with wholehearted obedience to God?
It’s never too late to change your heart and obey wholeheartedly the direction the Lord has given.
Do it today!
Developing Kingdom Leaders - Tom Yeakley 