2 Chronicles 14-16 Again, Not Finishing Well

Asa got off to a great start as king.  “He did what the Lord his God said was good and right.”  As a result, Israel had an extended period of peace.  When an outside attack finally came, he said, “Lord, only You can help … Help us, Lord our God, because we depend on You.”  The attackers were crushed.

He received a prophecy from Azariah:  “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you obey Him, you will find Him, but if you leave Him, He will leave you.”  God had sent the message because He could see a shadow of turning in Asa’s heart.  Twenty-one years later, it began.  Rather than depending on God, Asa sought a covenant with the king of Aram, taking gold and silver from the Temple treasury as payment for the protection.  God sent word again:  “You depended on the king of Aram to help you and not on the Lord your God … The Lord searches all the earth for people who have given themselves completely to Him.  He wants to make them strong.  Asa, you did a foolish thing …”

Asa didn’t like the message, so he jailed the messenger.  He soon became ill and died.  A great start, but he failed to keep the faith.

Father, help me not to doubt You as Asa did.  Remind me often to keep the faith.  I want to finish strong.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford