Read 2 Chronicles 25:1-28
I find myself shaking my head once again at the actions of these kings. Seriously! I have to remember that while I don’t find bowing down to a sculpture to make any sense at all, I have certainly bowed to plenty of my own idols over the years. Other people may find “my” idols laughable. Why is leaving our idols behind so difficult?
Idolatry is serious business and angers God. Nothing more needs to be said, really. If something makes God mad, and you know it because time and time again you’ve seen God’s response, why keep doing it? I’m guilty as a sinner, too, so these kinds of affirmations are always helpful for me. I want to try harder to stand firmly on the truth.
What a gift we have been given to learn from the mistakes of others. It’s no accident that relatable stories like this are in the Bible for us. Our first take-away, then, is not wanting to anger God with our idol worship. Amaziah’s actions sure surprised me! What changed for him? Did his curiosity get the best of him?
We can also glean wisdom from the prophet’s warning and how God moves in his people. God’s prophet gave this wise warning: “If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.” God’s power goes both ways. I would much rather tap into the divine power for success rather than my demise. It’s up to God to equip us or punish us as he sees fit.
God was moving in Amaziah during his conquest and victory of the Edomites. That’s because Amaziah had been mindful of the prophet’s first counsel and followed God. The obedience Amaziah showed in response pleased the LORD. But in a blink of an eye, Amaziah made a very bad choice and began worshipping those fake idols of the Edomites. God was angry and extremely disappointed.
We read that Amaziah’s refusal to stop such behavior and listen to reason was fueled by God’s determination “to destroy him for turning to the gods of Edom.” God knew the punishment he had in mind for Amaziah, and God was going to manipulate Amaziah’s situation to assure the retribution.
When we ignore God, we are ignoring the potential for greatness. We’ll never know what God has planned for us if we aren’t tapping into the truth and listening for his voice. It’s hard to patiently wait on God’s timing. I’ve always struggled with wanting to get results fast. God’s timeline isn’t always aligned with speed, so my blunders to make things happen is often laughable (when I look back, that is!).
God doesn’t want to be ignored. He wants our attention, our devotion, and our trust. Are you spending enough time with God these days? Remember he always wants more. The more time we give God, the more blessings flow.
Let’s pray. LORD, you are magnificent and worthy of my constant praise and worship. May my life be a living testimony of my love and devotion to you. Forgive me for those times when I get impatient and rush past you. I am confident your will for me is so much better than I could ever imagine. Guide my steps. Open my ears to hear your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
