“A life lived ‘not with a whole heart’ is precarious”
I’m Andrew, I’m over 40, and still unmarried. It’s a truth that weighs on me, especially when I reflect on past relationships. It’s not for lack of trying, nor for a scarcity of wonderful women. The recurring challenge, the one that often felt like a spiritual chasm opening between us, has always revolved around one core issue: complete obedience to God.
Now, before anyone jumps to conclusions, I’m not talking about subjugation or a desire for control. Far from it! What I mean is this profound, almost desperate conviction within me that when we make important life decisions – the big ones that shape our future, our finances, our families – God’s way is the only way. And with every woman I’ve deeply considered, I’ve encountered hesitations, compromises, or a quiet resistance to truly surrender everything to God’s leading. My fear, perhaps my deepest fear, is that the blame for the consequences of partial obedience would fall either on me, as the spiritual head in that relationship, or, more terrifyingly, on God Himself – because He says I am His image, and in that sense, I am a “god” in the sphere of influence He has given me (though, let me be crystal clear, I am not equating myself with the Almighty). This burden for complete faithfulness is heavy, and it’s why 2 Chronicles 25 speaks to my very soul, offering both a warning and a profound revelation.
This chapter, detailing the reign of King Amaziah, lays bare several truths that resonate deeply with my own journey and observations of the world:
1. The Peril of Partial Righteousness: A Foundation of Sand
Amaziah’s story begins with promise. “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a loyal heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2, AMP). This verse cuts me to the core. It’s the story of many of us, isn’t it? We might do the “right” things – attend church, give tithes, avoid overt sin – but our hearts aren’t fully committed. This “partial or weak righteousness” is a fragile foundation.
Amaziah initially showed some obedience by dismissing his hired Israelite troops at the prophet’s command, even though it meant forfeiting a large sum of money. “Amaziah said to the man of God, ‘But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?’ The man of God answered, ‘The Lord is able to give you much more than this'” (2 Chronicles 25:9, AMP). He listened, and he obeyed. Yet, as the story unfolds, we see that this obedience wasn’t from a loyal heart. It was conditional, pragmatic, perhaps even transactional. And that’s the danger I’ve seen play out in relationships and in lives around me – a willingness to go partway with God, but not all the way, especially when it costs us something dear.
2. The Destructive Temptation: Neglecting God After Success
Here’s where Amaziah’s story truly becomes a cautionary tale for me. He goes on to win a great victory against Edom, exactly as the prophet had promised after he dismissed the Israelite mercenaries. “Now it came about after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, and set them up as his gods; and he bowed down before them and burned incense to them” (2 Chronicles 25:14, AMP).
This is a gut punch. After experiencing God’s miraculous intervention, his first act is to bring home the idols of the very people God helped him conquer! This “destructive temptation to neglect God after success” is so real. I’ve seen it, felt its pull. When things go well, when God blesses us with a job, a relationship, financial stability, the subtle temptation is to think we did it, or to give credit elsewhere, slowly but surely sidelining the very source of our blessings. It’s as if success lulls us into a spiritual stupor, making us forget the One who gave us the victory.
3. God’s Absolute Intolerance for Idolatry: A Challenge to Our Devotion
Amaziah’s actions provoke God’s righteous anger. “Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, ‘Why have you sought after the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?'” (2 Chronicles 25:15, AMP). This underscores “God’s absolute intolerance for idolatry.” Anything that contends with God for our devotion – money, career, relationships, power – becomes an idol. These are not inherently evil; they are gifts from God! But when they usurp His rightful place as supreme in our hearts, they become stumbling blocks.
For me, this translates to the deep desire for a partner who understands that God must be first, absolutely and unequivocally. Not second, not even a close second. If a decision means compromising God’s clear word for financial gain, social standing, or even relational harmony, then it’s a test of devotion. And if that devotion isn’t exclusive to God, then everything else becomes shaky.
4. His Command for Exclusive Devotion: The Path to True Life
The passage strongly implies God’s “command for exclusive devotion.” He is a jealous God, not because He is insecure, but because He knows that true life, peace, and security are found only in complete surrender to Him. When Amaziah rejects the prophet’s warning, saying, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” (2 Chronicles 25:16, AMP), he is essentially telling God to mind His own business. He’s choosing his idols over God’s clear instruction. This is the heart of exclusive devotion – choosing God even when His way doesn’t make logical sense to us, or when it requires us to let go of something we value.
5. The Certainty of Divine Judgment for Rebellion: A Sobering Reality
The tragic end of Amaziah’s reign confirms “the certainty of divine judgment for rebellion.” “So the Lord took counsel (a deliberate decision) against him to destroy him, because he sought the gods of Edom” (2 Chronicles 25:20, AMP). His rebellion leads to his defeat by King Joash of Israel and ultimately to his assassination. This is a sobering truth: God is not mocked. Persistent rebellion, particularly after clear warnings and divine intervention, has consequences.
This isn’t about God being vengeful, but about His unwavering justice and the natural outcome of choosing a path away from His divine order. Just as sowing discord leads to strife, sowing rebellion against God leads to separation and judgment.
The Aching Heart and the Path Forward
My unmarried status, in light of these truths, isn’t a curse, but perhaps a protective hand of God. The challenge of finding a woman equally committed to complete, unwavering, exclusive obedience to God remains. It’s a conviction born from seeing the subtle erosion that partial obedience creates, the way success can blind us, and how easily anything can become an idol.
My prayer, and my exhortation to the world, is this: Let us not be like Amaziah. Let our hearts be loyal in our righteousness. Let us never forget God after He blesses us, but rather let His goodness draw us closer. This is why my father once sang: “Jowo o Jesu ma je n gbagbe re, ti n ba d’olowo“ (when you bless me with riches, do not let me forget you Jesus). Let nothing, absolutely nothing, contend with God for our devotion. And let us walk in humility and obedience, knowing that His commands are for our good, and His judgment, though certain for rebellion, is also tempered by His boundless mercy when we repent and seek Him with all our hearts. For truly, in His exclusive devotion, we find life, and life abundant.
#PartialObedience #DivineJudgment #ExclusiveDevotion #Idolatry #ChristianLife #Relationships #GodsWill #2Chronicles
Sources:
https://inspiredscripture.com/bible-studies/2-chronicles-25#gsc.tab=0
The Holy Bible, Amplified® Bible, AMP Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
2 Chronicles 25:2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20
