2 Chronicles 15-16
Psalm 80
1 Thessalonians 1
-Devotion by Juliet Taylor (TN)
2 Chronicles 15:2 – The Lord God is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will let you find him.
Beautiful.
But if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
Scary.
What does that mean?
I tend to push the narrative of God being our loving father, disciplining us as we need correction and direction, but I don’t often talk about verses like this, wherein it is said of him, “…but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” (2 Chron 15:2), nor “…for God troubled them with every kind of distress” (2 Chron. 15:6). I don’t enjoy thinking of my God like this, but we need to understand why this may be said of him, and be ready with an answer for our hope whenever asked.
It all boils down to becoming a person like Jesus, who doesn’t want harm to come to anyone, I think. But we cannot live in a world wherein lawlessness reigns. If you forsake God, you’re not going to be a person who desires to do God’s will for the good of others. This line of thinking and behaving will result in a nation like that in the time of Noah over time. In the end, who would enter the kingdom wherein there will be no more death, crying, mourning, or pain?
We need God’s teaching and law (New Covenant law). We need to seek God for that (he put it all in Jesus). For now, I don’t think God renders much judgement towards the nations, as he’s waiting for all who will repent, to repent (2 Peter 3:9). But he will, through Jesus in the end. He will not leave the guilty unpunished. Perhaps we can win some over beforehand, such as is our job under Christ.
In Asa’s time, he did well to heed the wisdom of God coming through the priest Azariah and acted accordingly. The result was that many from Israel, the split kingdom, defected to Asa’s kingdom. The people celebrated God and his laws and his goodness with sacrifice. They even entered a covenant with God, to do what the LORD had spoken to seek the LORD with their heart and soul.
Anyone who did not would be put to death (!!!). But for those who sought him earnestly, he let them find him. And they did it with joy because they understood the goodness of God. Then God gave them peace.
Of course, Asa eventually forsook God.
Aren’t you glad that we don’t live in a time like Asa’s, even though he was generally regarded as a “good” king? It is so good to realize how good we’ve got it under our Lord Jesus. For all the “good” kings of Israel/Judah, none can even come close to what we have in Jesus. It is good to honor him for all he’s done for us like Paul does with many of his writings to the churches of Jesus.
His opening statements are almost always letters abounding in love for the brothers and sisters in Christ. I enjoy reading about what an apostle of God did in the early church years through these letters. I think we can all learn a little from them when it comes to interacting with members of the body of Christ today.
To the newly formed church in Thessalonica, Paul writes about his love for them, but also encourages them to keep the faith.
The Thessalonians became imitators of Paul, Salvanus, and Timothy because of their tribulation upon hearing the word of the Lord. But they had joy of the holy spirit despite circumstances. They became an example of faith to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaiai because they preached the good news of Christ.
Their deeds were made known to Paul, how they had turned from idols to serve the living and true God, how they waited upon Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, who rescues us from the wrath to come (the wrath being whatever happens to those in the end who did not want to conform to the image of Christ).
They sound a little like Asa to me. Oh that they, and we, would be the people who desire to keep covenant with God joyously, ongoing, to the end of our race, for the good of others. Oh that God may shine his face upon us because of his beloved son, the son of Man Jesus, who directs us to put our hope in God. Praise God for his eyes that “move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chron. 16:9).
QUESTIONS:
1. Asa was king who had not been brought up to know the LORD God, nor serve him. Yet, he is listed among the “good” kings of Israel (Judah). Why do you think Asa chose to listen to the words of the LORD in the first place? I think it’s because there was much distress in all the lands. Sometimes, it is in the most hopeless times that people decide to turn to God. What do you think?
2. Because Asa eventually relied on another for help instead of turning to God in his distress, his peace ended. He became a foolish man in his last days instead of turning to God. Why do you think Asa chose not to seek God after hearing admonishment from the LORD?
3. Did you know that you too are beloved of God and his choice?
PRAYER
Dear Lord God, You are the One true God and the One that I seek. Help me to seek You and follow Your ways all the days of my life. Forgive me for the times I am distracted from following You whole-heartedly. Thank you for the gift of Jesus, the perfect king in submission to You who shows us how to love You and others. Help me to show others the goodness of seeking and following You.
Seek Grow Love 