A Heart Devoted to the Lord

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 17
Key Verse: v. 6

"His [Jehoshaphat's] heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD"

Jehoshaphat is one of the "good kings" of the southern nation of Judah. We are told in the opening verses of this chapter that in the earlier years of his life anyway, he followed the ways of his father David (v. 3). Because of his faithfulness the LORD established his kingdom and brought him great wealth and honour.

In verse 6 we are told a little more detail of how he lived. His "heart" is said to have been "devoted to the ways of the LORD." Almost every word of this short sentence is important. First, we need to note that Jehoshaphat's spirituality was something of the heart - the inner core of his being. He didn't content himself with ritual sacrifices and services at the temple. His inner being was turned toward the LORD. He might well have sung the great song of David recorded in Psalm 103: "Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name" (v. 1).

Second, note that Jehoshaphat's heart was "devoted" to the ways of the Lord. There was something decided and fixed about the orientation of his heart. It was wholly given to the LORD and his ways. He didn't dabble with the things of God occasionally; his heart was red hot toward God, and firmly fixed upon him.

Then thirdly, we are told that his heart was specifically fixed upon "the ways of the LORD." That is to say, he loved the law of the LORD in which God had revealed himself, his ways and his will to men. Jehoshaphat didn't chafe and find God's ways burdensome; on the contrary, they were his delight. Again, he was like the blessed man described in Psalm 1 whose "delight was in the law of the LORD" and in whose law he "meditated day and night" (v. 2).

Here is a man who is showing us the heart of what it means to be a child of God, a faithful servant of Christ. Jesus, of course, is our perfect model in this regard. He is the one Man whose heart was perfectly devoted to the ways of God. In acting in this way he served as our representative, but also as our model.

Like Jehoshaphat and Jesus, our heart must be given over to the Lord, and our desire be for his ways. This year I am making a point in my devotions of reading through the Gospels very slowly. I'm delighting to see Jesus in them in fresh and deeper ways. In particular, I'm noting everything he says about how to live in his kingdom. While his ways are not easy - they are the complete opposite of how the world in general lives and how our fleshly instincts clamour to live - they are nevertheless good and perfect. Loving and walking in his ways is still the path to blessedness.

To Think About:

• What is it that captivates your heart? What do you think about most of the time?
• Do you find pleasure in the Lord and in discovering his ways?
• Can you say that your heart is "devoted" to knowing and keeping his ways?

Tell Jesus these things - open your heart to him and ask him to make you more like himself, someone who is wholly devoted to the ways of the Lord.