Another lesson this morning from a king of Judah . . . actually another warning about “finishing well.”

King Asa is a bit of a “head scratcher” when you read his story (2Chronicles 14 thru 16) . . . how does someone start so well and finish so poorly? . . . here’s the “Reader’s Digest” version:

Asa was marked as one of the kings who “did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD His God.” (14:2) He encouraged Judah (the southern kingdom of the divided Israel) to seek the Lord and he put his money where his mouth was by tearing down the high places of idol worship. For 10 years, there was peace and prosperity in Judah during which time he also built up an army of 580,000 fighting men (14:8). Then, 10 years into his reign, Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah with a force of one million men. Out numbered almost 2 to 1 Asa, cried out to the Lord (that’s a good move), “Lord it is nothing for You to help whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God!” (14:11) And the Lord struck the Ethiopians. King Asa then was a man who pursued God, a man who trusted in God, a man who experientially knew the power and faithfulness of God.

And it gets better . . . the Spirit of God comes upon a guy named Azariah who prophesies to Asa and his people, “The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake You.” (15:2) And it sparks national revival in Judah. The people enter “into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and all their soul” (15:12) and “Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around” (15:15). So King Asa was a godly man who led others in devotion to the LORD. So far . . . so good . . .

Fast forward 25 years . . . 25 years of peace and rest . . . and King Baasha of Israel starts to lay siege to Judah. And what does godly King Asa do? He buys off Syria to come to his aid. What he doesn’t do is rely on the Lord . . . and he’s called on it by the Lord through a prophet (16:7-8). And King Asa’s response? “Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison.” (16:10) Three years later Asa becomes “diseased in his feet and his malady was severe.” What does he do? “Yet in his disease, he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians.” (16:11-12)

So what happened??? Started so well . . . trusted so much . . . saw great intervention and power of God . . . yet tanked . . . lost the reliance . . . bitter at the correction . . . relied on man over God. How come . . . what happened??? I don’t know . . . all I know is that the Word of God records it . . . and I can’t help but think that it’s for my warning. I might think my walk with the Lord is pretty good right now . . . I might be trusting and relying now . . . but Asa teaches me that things can change if I stop actively seeking Him. (15:2)

And then I read Psalm 143 . . . another king — David . . . also finding himself toward the end of his reign in a tough spot . . . and what a contrast to Asa . . . “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land . . . For in You do I trust . . . For I lift up my soul to You . . . For You are my God . . . Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.” (Ps. 143:5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12)

The Spirit reminds me this morning that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2Chron. 16:9) I want His eyes to find me loyal . . . trusting . . . relying . . . resting in Him alone. I want to run well now . . . I want to run well then. O God, keep me from coasting . . . keep me from a complacency which shifts my dependence from You to man or things of this world . . . keep me from growing into a bitter, self-reliant old man . . . instead form the heart of David within me . . . the heart that remembers the victories of God in the past . . . that meditates on the wonders of God in the present . . . and the hopes in the faithfulness of God for the future . . . for Your glory alone . . . Amen!!