2 Chronicles 25:1-2 "Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. (2) And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart."
Amaziah was the son of Joash. The key to today's devotion is in verse two.
"He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a
perfect heart." The Lord truly has much to say concerning this state
of heart which was manifested in Amaziah.
Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah when He said, "This people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is
far from me. (9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:8-9) That seems to be the
state of Amaziah. Another way to state it might be that he did not mind the
people going to the temple and taking their animals to sacrifice, but just
don't take it too seriously. Or, they were merely going through the motions of
worship when their hearts and minds were elsewhere.
Have you and I ever experienced that? Maybe we go into the house of God and
sing the words to a song, but our minds are in another place. Have you ever
sung a song but not given the words you are singing a second thought. We sit
and listen to the preacher. We might even tell him what a good job he has done,
but we cannot remember anything he has said. Some people might say that it's
better not to even go to church than to go in the wrong frame of mind. I
do not take that stance.
Even when we go into the house of the Lord with many other things on our minds,
we can stop and ask the Lord to help us to lay those things down and
concentrate on Him. Having a perfect heart does not mean there is no
fault at all; rather it means to be mature in our efforts to worship and serve
the Lord. We are to do them out of a grateful heart. God is not merely
interested in our motions. His desire is toward our hearts. Do not stop going
through the motions, but do ask the Lord to help us prepare our hearts by
breaking up the hardness that accumulates therein.
Heavenly Father, help us to lay to the side those things that trouble us. Help
us to lay aside the turmoil that is in the land. Help us to realize our fretting
and constantly arguing about them does not change anything. Help us to lay them
in your hands, whatever they may be, and concentrate our efforts on the truth
that you, our Heavenly Father, are great in your majesty and grace toward us.
Help us to love you more. In Jesus' name. Amen.