2 Chronicles 25 -- More Not Finishing Well

Amaziah DID what the Lord said was right, but he did not really WANT to obey Him."  Forced religion is not good motivation for obedience.

As I kept reading the chapter, I felt such a sadness -- for Amaziah and for ALL of us.  I thought of Paul's words -- "Why is it that I DO the things I don't WANT to do and I DON'T do the things I should?"

I don't want my entire life to BE that way.  I hate struggling with sin.  I suppose that what all of us hate most are pet sins.  We can feel GREAT about WANTING to obey God for the vast majority of things He's told us are detrimental to us.  But I suppose we each DO have those things that we simply do not WANT to give up.  It's that sin-induced sense of entitlement, I suppose.  But I hate it.

Father, I SO want to obey You in everything.  I don't want my name to replace Amaziah's in verse 2.  Give me the "want-to" I NEED to surrender the last stubborn vestiges of sin in my life to You.  I want my story to end better than Amaziah's.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford