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Thought for the day... Thursday, January 08, 2009 - Day 8 |
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A Heart For Obedience
"But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days." II Chronicles 15:17.
Asa is an illustration of a man who had a perfect heart towards God, but did not take the Bible seriously. He obeyed God, at least for the most part: "And …Asa heard these words, and …took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin..." [13] But God wanted the abolition of the high places, which were an occasion for Israel to fall into idolatry. Evidently Asa didn't consider them all that important, for his obedience was incomplete.
Evangelical Christianity is replete with Asas. Their hearts are perfect toward God, but they don't take seriously God's commandments. For example, they don't see the need to execute discipline against those who break the commandments of God and refuse to repent. [14] It is also possible to have a perfect heart toward God while considering biblical commands as cultural or non-essential. By definition commands are essential. Asa had a good heart, but was only partially obedient.
You may feel that because your heart does not condemn you that God is well pleased with your life; your heart may not condemn you, but that does not mean you are acquitted. For example, the magistrate does not care how you feel about following the law, but rather whether or not you broke it. The standard of evaluation is not your feelings, but Scripture. Asa demonstrates that a perfect heart is not necessarily an obedient heart. In the day of judgment, God will call you to account, not on the basis of how you feel, but on the basis of your walking in obedience to His commandments.
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Devotional © Copyright by Walter A Henrichsen.