seek and find

this morning I read in 2 Chronicles 15 about King Asa.  I love the story of King Asa leading the people of Judah and Benjamin – it’s one that I don’t recall reading before, although I’m sure I’ve heard it some time over the years.  but when I read it this morning, it was like I was reading it for the first time.

see, there’s this guy named Azariah and the Spirit of God comes upon him and he said this to King Asa:

“Listen to me, Asa!  Listen all you people of Judah and Benjamin!  The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with Him!  Whenever you seek Him, you will find Him  But if you abandon Him, He will abandon you.”  (2 Chron. 15:2)

a little further down in the chapter, the people decide to be serious about following this advice from Azariah.  it says this:

“Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul.  They agreed that anyone who refused to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death – whether young or old, man or woman.  They shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord…”  (2 Chron. 15:12-14ish)

I can just imagine them saying, “ok – this just got real.  no more lukewarm-ness.  it’s all or nothing.”  they actually agreed to put to death anyone who refused to seek the Lord!  that’s like…I don’t know, I’d say they took their seeking the Lord pretty seriously.  actually in verse 15 it says they had entered into this covenant “with all their heart”.

and then comes the 2nd part of verse 15:

“They earnestly sought after God, and they found Him.  And the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side.”

ahh.  the fulfillment of the promise the Spirit of God made through Azariah!  they earnestly sought after God – with all their heart – and they found Him.  they found Him.  He did not stay in stealth mode.  He did not withhold Himself from them.  He allowed them to find Him.  and He gave them rest from their enemies on every side.

I love this story!  I could expound a lot more, but I kind of feel like I should sit back and let the Word of God speak for itself.

I just want to point out this one thing and then leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit.  when we earnestly seek after God, we will find Him.  and He gives rest, or victory, over the struggles with sin, lies, deep wounds – aka our “enemies” -  in each of our lives as we earnestly seek Him.

I want to end this with the prayer that King Asa cried out to God in 2 Chronicles 14:

“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.  It is in Your name that we have come against this vast horde.  O Lord, You are our God; do not let mere men prevail against You!”