Amaziah, the half-hearted king!

The Bible says Amaziah, the king of Judah, did not wholeheartedly follow the Lord.  This aptly summarizes a reign plagued by compromise.  Though Amaziah could respect the Mosaic law and respond to prophecy, it is with mixed motives, and it is no surprise that he turned away from following the Lord.  Throughout the Scriptures, we find that when the people of God were ‘half-hearted’ in their service, their hearts quickly strayed away from the Lord.  Half-heartedness in serving God is a severe mistake.  It gives no satisfaction to our Lord and it does not fill our soul with lasting joy.  This attitude in serving the Lord will lead one to darkness, doubt, worldliness, and guilt.  We can see it in Amaziah's life.  Half-heartedness goes in one of two directions: you either turn back to the Lord or turn away entirely from the Lord.  

What does it mean to follow the Lord half-heartedly?

Half-heartedness comes out of incomplete surrender.  Some chamber of the heart is retained for selfish purposes.  The Bible does not tell us what it was in the case of Amaziah, but his whole heart was not set on doing the will of God!  Amaziah obeyed the law of Moses selectively, punishing the conspirators responsible for his father's murder but not obeying the first two commandments.  Faith in the God of Israel played no role in Amaziah's strategic planning.  He wanted to be sure his numbers were up, so he hired additional soldiers from Israel!  Amaziah valued being liked by the world more than being accepted by God!  When Caleb recounted to Joshua what happened years ago when the spies returned, he said, "Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God"(Joshua 14:6–9).  Caleb's life was the opposite of Amaziah's.  Caleb was not half-hearted, and God rewarded him.  The question that faces us today is with whom we identify: Amaziah with a life of compromise or Caleb willing to stand apart?

My friend, the warning to the church of the Laodiceans comes to us today as a warning. 

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. … because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).  How are you serving the Lord today?  If you are serving 'half-heartedly,' repent and return to serving the Lord with your whole heart, for only then will you find joy and peace in the Lord.  The Bible says, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."(Colossians 3:23-24).

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