Scripture Focus:

“He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done.”
—2 Kings 15:3 NLT

“So the Lord’s message to Jehu came true: ‘Your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.’”
—2 Kings 15:12 NLT

“Zechariah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, as his ancestors had done. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.”
—2 Kings 15:9 NLT

Reflection:
Reading through 2 Kings 15, a sobering pattern emerges—one that repeats itself more times than we’d like to admit:
“He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.”
“He refused to turn…”
“He did not remove the high places.”
“He followed in the sins of his father…”
Even when a king did what was “pleasing” in the Lord’s sight, the description is often followed by a “but”—as in, “But he did not remove the pagan shrines.” Partial obedience. Compromised leadership. Generational patterns of sin left untouched.
It’s heartbreaking to see how rare it was for a king to fully walk in the ways of the Lord. Instead, one ruler after another either did evil outright—or did some of what pleased God, yet left sin standing in their land. And in their hearts.
We can fall into the same trap. We may seek to please God in some areas of our lives—but what about the places we’ve left untouched? The old habits, the idols we’ve renamed “personality,” “preference,” or “it’s just how I was raised”? Like the kings of Israel and Judah, we may honor God with our lips or outward actions—but do we remove the high places of the heart?
God is not asking for partial surrender. His Word calls us to repentance, to wholehearted obedience, and to trust Him enough to tear down anything that competes with His rightful place in our lives.
Jehu’s family saw God’s promise fulfilled to the fourth generation. But after that, judgment came. Hosea 1 echoes this, as God pronounces His coming judgment on Israel—but not without revealing His longing to call them “My people” again (Hosea 1:10). Even in judgment, God’s heart beats for mercy and restoration.

Lesson for Me:

• Compromised obedience always leads to compromised worship.
• God sees both our public deeds and our private altars.
• I don’t want a legacy of “she did what was pleasing...but...” I want it to be said that I followed Him wholeheartedly.

📖 Application Questions:
1. What “high places” remain in my life that I’ve excused or ignored?
2. Am I following God wholeheartedly—or only in ways that don’t cost me?
3. Do I want to break generational patterns—or repeat them?
4. What does full obedience to God look like in this season of my life?
5. What does my family see in my walk with God?
6. What can I change today to leave behind a witness that I followed Jesus wholeheartedly?
7. Are there patterns in my parenting, relationships, or decisions that point to compromise rather than conviction?
8. If my children or grandchildren were asked about my faith, what would they say I stood for?

9. Do I live in a way that invites others—especially my family—to know and love God more?
10. What would it look like to “tear down” the high places in my heart that compete with the Lord?

🙏 Prayer:
Lord God,
You are worthy of all my heart, all my mind, all my soul, and all my strength. I don’t want to give You partial obedience—I want to follow You wholeheartedly, without compromise. Reveal to me the high places in my life that I’ve allowed to remain. Show me where I’ve settled for “good enough” when You’re calling me to holiness.
Help me not only to hear Your Word but to respond with action. Let my faith be lived out in my choices, my conversations, and my relationships. I pray especially for my family—may they see in me a consistent, sincere love for You. Let my life be a witness that points them to You, not just in words but in the way I walk.
Forgive me for the areas where I’ve refused to let go of old sins, and give me the courage to tear them down. Thank You for Your mercy that still pursues me, just as You pursued Israel through the prophets. I want to leave behind a legacy of faithfulness. By Your grace and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, let it be said of me: “She followed the Lord with her whole heart.”
In Jesus’ name, Amen.