In God’s Opinion

Reading: 2 Chronicles 29-31; James 4 1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old and was king in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 In God’s opinion he was a good king; he kept to the standards of his ancestor David. (2 Chronicles 29:1-2 MSG) Hezekiah’s story is the one ray of sunshine in many latter years of Israel and Judah’s history. Hezekiah’s life-work was evaluated by God as follows: 20 Hezekiah carried out this work and kept it up everywhere in Judah. He was the very best—good, right, and true before his God. 21 Everything he took up, whether it had to do with worship in God’s Temple or the carrying out of God’s Law and Commandments, he did well in a spirit of prayerful worship. He was a great success. (2 Chronicles 31:20-21 MSG) Everyone has an opinion about something—Some people have an opinion about everything! There is tremendous pressure on all of us to be influenced—in what we think, what we say, and what we do—by the opinions of others. There is pressure on us to allow our own opinions to be shaped by the prevailing values and attitudes of our society and our subculture. Hezekiah shook off the prevailing attitudes and values of his society and looked only to God for approval. He got it. In God’s opinion, he was a good king! If I allow myself to be pressured, influenced, motivated, and driven by the opinions of others; if my desire for approval or my need to fit in molds me and shapes what I think, say, and do; or if I seek the approval that affirms my identity and worth from anyone but God, I’ll miss my place in God’s plan. How are you doing, in God’s opinion? Whose opinion influences you most?

Prayer:

Father, It’s hard not to want to be successful in the opinions of other people more than successful in your opinion. They are so visible and you are so invisible! They are so loud and you are so quiet—most of the time. My heart wants to value your opinion above all other opinions. My mind and my emotions are too much influenced by the opinions of others. Today, I reaffirm my desire and my commitment to simply be who I am created to be “..in God’s opinion.” Amen.