“Amaziah…did that which was right in the sight of
the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.” II Chron 25:1-2
Without obedience to God’s will, one will lose his experience with
the Lord. It is vital that children of God obey His Word on every
point and follow the prompting and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Without doing that which is right, one will go astray and deviate
from the perfect path of Christ which leads to eternal life.
While obedience is imperative to the blessings of God and anointing
of the Holy Spirit, the motivation and reason for the obedience is
even more important. People approach obedience from different
standpoints and different attitudes. Amaziah reigned in Jerusalem
and was obedient to the letter of the law, but his heart was not
perfect. He was not prompted to obedience out of his love and
devotion to God. God does not honor obedience that is motivated by
fear, peer pressure, hypocrisy, or self-interest. God will bless
obedience when it is motivated by a willing, humble heart moved by
love.
Often, people find themselves doing something because it is ‘right’
and what has been taught for years. While this is not to be
undermined, the true anointing and peace in obedience comes when one
voluntarily out of love and devotion to Christ submits his heart and
way and obeys the voice of the Lord.
C.W. Naylor said this of obedience: “The quality of the obedience is
not in the act, but in what lies back of the act. It is the right
attitude toward God’s will and the right intent in doing it that is
the true essence of obedience.”
