As I read through 2 Kings 13-14 this morning I was struck by a statement regarding Amaziah who was one of a long line of Kings over Israel. Scripture says, “3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not like David his father. He did in all things as Joash his father had done. 4 But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.” – 2 Kings 14:3-4
Amaziah walked in a manner that was right in the eyes of the LORD . . . But . . . He did not do away with the places of idolatry! He was known for something he didn’t accomplish. This moved me to ask the questions, “What is that good thing I should be doing that I have not yet done?” It seems likely that there is something that needs to be removed that has not yet been removed from my life. I do not want my life to be defined by what I did not remove.
This moves me to pray for the wisdom and strength to follow through with conviction in tearing down anyplace where something other than the LORD is worshiped in me. I desire to be a man of singular focus on the glory and honor of God. But I need help to identify the places of idolatry in my own heart. I am convinced that if we allow idolatry of stuff, idolatry of self, idolatry of entertainment, or fame or whatever to remain in our lives it will multiply to the extent that it will indeed define us. For Amaziah, he did not remove the places of pagan idolatry. That defined a portion of his legacy.
I do not want to have a pact with sin. I do not want to give it room even in the far off ‘high places’ of my heart. I want to tear it down and be wholly devoted to God. And so I pray that God would give me a strong resolve to battle against sin in my heart and mind. What is it that you are holding onto, that if you do not cast it away, will eventually define you?
