II Chronicles 15: 2

Laura Murray II Chronicles 15: 2

The Lord is with you while you be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

Prior to this passage we learn that King Asa was a ruler who "did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God….removed foreign altars …. commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors and to keep the law and the commandment". He had also been victorious in a battle against the massive army of Zerah the Ethiopian. It is here where Azariah enters the picture. The above passage is the beginning of his prophetic message, which included words of comfort for Asa, but also words of caution. He proclaims that the Lord has been with Asa because of his early reforms and his great faith, but warns him to be persistent with these reforms and with his reliance on God. Asa remains faithful for many years, but in his 36th year of reign, he starts to take things into his own hands, stops relying on the Lord, his successes diminish, he becomes diseased and dies. A familiar theme in the Old Testament!

Imagine receiving that kind of prophetic message, full of praise from God, yet with such a stern warning. Asa must have had great faith going into a battle that appeared to be a no win situation. What kind of battles do we face and how do we show our faith in God? We attend church, read our Bibles, pray, support missions, serve on committees, etc. and pray that in so doing we are serving and pleasing God. But how often do we think that any of our daily actions would cause God to abandon us? What about the battles of materialism, greed, selfishness, addiction, violence, apathy, prejudice, injustice . . . and the list goes on. Are we seeking God in all the right ways? Are there any idols we need to destroy? Do we love God with heart, soul, and mind?

So what is the take away for today? Here are a few thoughts from several commentaries I read: Is there any ally or adversary greater than God? Defeat of the enemy, in our day, will not be of the military sort. Our victories will often be inward, such that others will not witness them at all. (The Daily Study bible Series)

Though hard times bring frustration, easy times can cause us to forget God and depend on ourselves. Because he loves us, God may let difficult situations enter our lives to redirect our attention to him.... (Bible .com)

What is religion but seeking God, inquiring after him, applying to him upon all occasions? We make nothing of our religion, if we do not make heart-work of it; God will have all the heart, or none. [Matthew Henry Commentary]

So that you and I would believe that Jesus knows our hurts, he voluntarily became one of us. He placed himself in our position. He suffered our pains and felt our fears. Rejection? He felt it. Temptation? He knew it. Loneliness? He experienced it. Death? He tasted it. And stress? He could write a bestselling book about it. Why did he do it? One reason. So that when you hurt you will go to him-your Father and your Physician-and let him heal. (In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado) Choose one that speaks to your heart this day, seek God and pray. Amen