Have you ever been reading the Scriptures and a verse just stopped you in your tracks? Well, that happened to me this morning. Check this out.
“(Amaziah) did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,
but not with a whole heart.”
~~2 Chronicles 25:2~~
Amaziah did what was right. In Hebrew, right <yashar> means straight, and it defined that which was pleasing. I remember when I was a little girl, my Dad used to say, “you better walk a chalk line, young lady”. That phrase had a “go straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200” kinda feel to it. He meant, do exactly what I say, when I say it.
So Amaziah “walked a chalk line” in the eyes of the Lord, BUT “not with a whole heart”? What exactly does that mean? Well, let’s start off by defining some terms in the Hebrew language.
- “Whole” <shalem> means complete; especially, friendly; cherishing peace and friendship; loyal; specifically here, devoted to God and at peace with Him.
- “Heart” <lebab> means the soul life; the seat of the senses, affections and emotions of the MIND.
“Not with a whole heart” means one’s thoughts and actions are not in sync.
I was raised in a very legalistic atmosphere. There were a lot of rules, and I was expected to “walk a chalk line”. Rule-keeping was non-negotiable. During my growing up years, I had the reputation of being a good little “rule-follower”. But what people didn’t know about me was that outwardly I was doing what was right, but there was this whole other thing happening inwardly. My heart was full of rebellion and resentment. My actions and my thoughts were not in sync, and just like Amaziah, I did what was right, but not with a whole heart.
As I continued to study this verse out, I looked in some commentaries. Check it out.
- Morgan commented, “The root idea of the Hebrew word <shalem> is being whole, complete. So imperfection of heart consists of incomplete surrender. Some chambers of the “temple” of the heart are retained for selfish purposes.
- Matthew Henry wrote, “Amaziah worshiped the true God, kept the temple service going, but he personally was not devoted to God, with zeal for what he did. He was a cool and indifferent friend of God. Amaziah had the character of the Laodiceans (Revelation 3:14-22), “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot…”
Paraphrasing this verse, “Amaziah just went through the motions.”
Can you relate? (Don’t leave me hanging here by myself…haha). I think we all need to take time and really do some spiritual inventory, not only into “what” we do but “why” we do it. If we are to do right in the eyes of the Lord with a whole heart, the “what’s” and the “why’s” need to be in sync.
Oh Lord, I don’t want to be like that. Empower me through Your Spirit to truly serve and obey You from a heart of love and devotion. I don’t want to allow any pretense to seep in, where I appear “holy” to others, but I’m not that way as You look into my heart. Help me to “fan into flame” my love and devotion for You and Your Kingdom.