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King Asa of Judah was one of the few Kings who was determined to follow the Lord and lead his Kingdom to do so as well. In II Chronicles chapter fourteen verses two to five we read about a very successful beginning to a God pleasing reign.

“Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God. He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands. Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah’s towns. So Asa’s kingdom enjoyed a period of peace.”

              A little further on we see that when Judah is attacked by an Ethiopian army of a million men Asa immediately seeks the Lord’s help. In verse eleven we read: Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, “O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone.

              As result the enemy is defeated. Asa continues to encourage his people to serve the Lord, the nation enjoys peace and some people from Israel begin to migrate to Judah recognizing the Lord’s blessing there.  However years pass and in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, King Baasha of Israel invades Judah.  This time Asa does not consult the Lord or appeal for his help. Instead, he uses the valuables stored in the temple to bribe the King of Aram to help him repulse the attack.

              The strategy seems to be successful but then: ….. Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers?  At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you. The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”

              So, Asa’s reign and life went downhill as a result of that decision.

              So, what can we learn from this unhappy ending? When we are confronted with a new crisis that life brings our way what is our first instinct, our first place to turn for help? We are blessed with many sources of help in our culture, medical resources for example. But shouldn’t our first resource be the Lord, shouldn’t we ask for his help and seek his direction?

                                                                                                                                                Pastor Dave