It is said of King Asa of Judah that he did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. He removed pagan shrines and incense alters and he commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord. God honored him with peace in land; no one tried to make war against him. He recognized this and gave God the credit.
Once when an Ethiopian army did attack, Asa deployed his armies and cried out to the Lord his God for help, "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..." The Lord defeated the Ethiopian army in the presence of Asa and his army. Wow!
Later in Asa's reign, the king from Israel invaded Judah. Asa responded this time by taking the silver and gold from the temple treasuries and paying off the king of Aram to attack the towns of Israel for him. Acting in his own power, he shorted himself victory! God sends his spokesman to Asa to tell him that because he trusted in the king of Aram rather than the Lord his God, he missed his chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram and would continue to be at war. "Remember the Ethiopians...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!"
The challenge... Am I trusting God alone? Or am I trying to work it out my way? Do I truly believe that only He can help against the mighty? When He is searching the whole earth, I want to be one whom he chooses to strengthen. Oh for a heart fully committed!
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