February 21
‘Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?’ 2 Corinthians 6:14
Bible reading: 2 Chronicles 25:5-10 (Go to the Bible passage)
Here we see what happens when one does not serve God wholeheartedly. Amaziah prepared to go to battle against the surrounding enemies. But when he had counted his men to know how many soldiers he could muster, he was glad he could hire another hundred thousand from Israel. Although at great expense, now he would be strong in battle.
But then a man of God came, who showed him the other side of the coin. ‘God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow’ (:8). Because Amaziah was not wholeheartedly devoted to God, he had gradually come to rely more on human possibilities than on God’s help. Yet he saw that the words of the man of God were right.
Although Amaziah was not fully committed to God anymore, he still was so much closer to God than we are! For after hearing a powerful sermon we might say, ‘Okay, this is true, but after all, one should be realistic…’ Amaziah turned out to be really realistic. He dismissed the troops of the people that did not trust in God anymore, and went into battle with just his own troops.
If only we were as radical as Amaziah, to dare to rely on God more than on the best the godless can provide... No, not like Amaziah, but much more radical. Not fanatic, for blind fanaticism just arises when we make ourselves strong for God instead of in God.
Only in the true relation with God we understand how much we hurt Him when we are relying on the wisdom of this world instead of relying on Him, with a wholly devoted heart!

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