DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 30 November 2025: The Trouble With Partial Obedience
Text: 2 Kings 10:28–36 (KJV)
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. 29 However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31 Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory 33 east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
34 As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
35 Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
KEY VERSE: (2 Kings 10:31)
“But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.”
In the early 2010s, Sarah Thompson, a woman living in Atlanta, Georgia, was known as a very active church member. She attended services faithfully, volunteered in different ministries, and participated in small-group meetings. Yet, despite this outward religious commitment, her life lacked genuine Christlike character.
Pride, criticism, and an unwillingness to forgive overshadowed her religious activities. She was selective about which parts of God’s word she obeyed—embracing what was convenient and ignoring what required a transformed heart. Her story illustrates the danger of outward religion without inward obedience.
This mirrors the biblical account of Jehu, whose life portrays the problem of partial obedience. God gave him the privilege of becoming king and entrusted him with a clear assignment. Jehu obeyed when he destroyed Baal worship and executed judgment on its prophets. God acknowledged this act and rewarded him with a promise of four generations on Israel’s throne.
However, Jehu’s obedience ended there. He refused to abandon the sins of Jeroboam—the idolatrous practices that led Israel astray. Scripture records the tragedy of his half-hearted walk with God:
“Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD… with all his heart.”
He obeyed God where it suited him and ignored the rest.
A truly regenerated child of God is distinguished by consistent, total obedience, not selective compliance. Claiming salvation while choosing only convenient commands to obey exposes a shallow commitment and contradicts genuine faith.
To please God, we must resist self-will, surrender our preferences, and follow Him wholeheartedly. Only then will we gain His approval and eternal reward. Otherwise, partial obedience puts us on the path of divine condemnation, not commendation.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Partial obedience is another name for disobedience.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Daily Manna 30 November 2025
