Wholehearted devotion

Tucked in the setting of another king’s ebbing allegiance. And his discernible drift from God. 

I see it. 

The verse often quoted. 

Serving as a clarion call for holy commitment. Wholehearted devotion. To the worship and ways of the Lord God Almighty.

Here it sits. Right in the middle of Hanani’s prophetic message. Calling out King Asa.

Earlier reliance

This king begins well. Doing what is “good and right in the sight of the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 14:2). 

Calling the people of Judah to seek and obey the God of their ancestors. (14:4)

Praying for God’s help. Dependent on Him for victory in battle. 

And the prophet reminds Asa of this earlier reliance on God. How that played out in real life.  

Remember the enemy’s vast army? All of those chariots and horsemen? “When you depended on the Lord, He handed them over to you” (2 Chronicles 16:8)

Wholehearted devotion

Then comes the statement. Repeated through the ages.

“For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to Him.”
2 Chronicles 16:9a

The Lord is watching. Seeking. Ready to reveal His strength.  

But Asa’s heart wanders. Leaning on his own understanding. 

Going his own way

The king’s drift leads to wrong decisions. And a sobering prophecy. 

“You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on” (verse 9b).

At that moment. Immediately. Asa has the opportunity to confess sin. Repent. Seek the Lord’s wisdom. 

But rage takes over. And he mistreats the messenger. Imprisoning him. Lashing out at others.

Resisting correction, he continues going his own way.

At the end of his reign, King Asa suffers from a foot disease. “Yet even in his disease he didn’t seek the Lord but only the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16:12).

Cautionary tale

His story serves as a cautionary tale. 

We too can lean towards independence. Doing things our way. With little thought. 

Seeking Him slows. In the lull of position. Comfort of know-how. Familiarity and ease of routine. 

A subtle shift.

Until one day He’s not the priority of our worship.  Or the Father we turn to. 

No longer the first One we ask.

Step by step

Moment by moment reliance is not only for the unwieldy crisis. The situation beyond our abilities. 

But step by step dependence in the ordinary as well. 

Walking in the Spirit we learn this. Continual conversation about the overwhelming. And the mundane.

The major issues. And minor details.

For Asa? The public and the personal revealed his heart’s drift. War and foot disease.

A choice

We’re saved by grace. When we repent and believe the gospel.

But wholehearted devotion is a choice. To abide in Christ through prayer and the Word. Day by day.

For life.

“Therefore, with your minds ready for action,
be sober-minded
and set your hope completely
on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
As obedient children,
do not be conformed
to the desires of your former ignorance.
But as the one who called you is holy,
you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
1 Peter 1:13-16

What about you?

Have you experienced a drift from wholehearted devotion in your daily walk with Christ? How has the Lord reminded you? Called you back to His ways?

Related posts

Be holy – Trust in the Lord – Pray continually – Divided heart – Necessity – Limits – Distracted – Living in the unprecedented – Someone else’s surrender – Heart and soul – Step by step – Abiding in Christ –