Abijah, Asa, Admonishments

As the light began to bathe itself over the mountains and trees outside this morning, I was encouraged and struck anew by a king named Asa. It amazes me that even though I have read through the Bible multiple times, there are still stories, that although slightly familiar, stand out anew as though I had never read them. Then again, I can re-read a book two years later and have completely forgotten most of the details of the story (and I'm not even 30 yet! ha!). But moreso than that, I think it is a result of the richness of the Word of God and how different things stick out to us at different times in our lives.

Anyway, back to Asa. Asa is the son of Abijah, who is the son of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the son of David.. so not too many generations after David. Asa is a king tucked into the line of Judah and yet is not always remembered because he ended badly, yet God did some amazing things on his behalf.  In 1 Kings 15:14b it says "nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the Lord all his days." Interesting statement, but his actions don't show it, but his drift away from depending on the Lord is a slow and steady one.

Asa encourages Judah to seek the Lord and acknowledges the rest that the Lord has given them. When faced with an Ethiopian army of a million, Asa fully acknowledges and pleads for God's strength to prevail amongst their weak and smaller army. It's not entirely sure how the Lord routed them and caused them to flee, but it happens.

Later a prophet named Azariah comes to warn them to continue seeking God lest they be forsaken. In 2 Chronicles 15:26, Azariah says, "the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Later we see the truth of this in verse 5, "But in their distress they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him."

Asa leads a reform in Judah and in verse 15 it states, "All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side."

Later on in Asa's reign, he depended on a king for his deliverance rather than on God. It's as though He forgot the incredible deliverance God had given them before. Another prophet, Hanani, comes to remind Asa of the time God delivered them in battle. The other army was massive and "yet because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His" (2 Chronicles 16:8b-9a).

What a beautiful picture of God's desire toward us! Sadly, in the end, Asa gets angry rather than repenting, throws Hanani into prison, gets diseased in his feet, doesn't seek the Lord in his diseas and eventually dies. Sad ending of a heart that was wholly devoted yest slowly and gradually drifted away from having His focus and dependence fully on the Lord. 

My prayer this morning is that I would have a heart that is completely His. That my attentions would be undivided, that I would enter the rest He has given and that I would seek Him, knowing that He will let me find Him. 

My new breath prayer for now is "Lord, let me find you today."  That it would be a continual reminder for myself to seek Him in all things, whether that be while preparing food, cleaning or doing schoolwork, and that I would approach in humility, knowing that it's not even my own efforts that will find Him, but rather it is the Lord, in His grace and desire for me, that would allow Himself to be found by me.