We Rest on Thee
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. ~2 Chronicles 14:11
The term "strong confidence" refers to a firm and resolute faith in God. Our devotion this morning centers on a king who had strong confidence in the Lord. King Asa was one of the good kings of Judah. He followed the valiant reign of his father Abijah. Asa is a model lesson on starting out right. Even though an established kingdom was handed down to him, Asa knew from the outset that without the Lord, he would fail. Asa was a man who knew the Lord. This morning, we want to consider the importance of making the Lord our confidence.
We see Asa and his priority.
As soon as Asa became king, he “did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.” Asa was very aware of the omniscience and omnipresence of God. He knew that God was always watching. He lived his life to constantly have God’s approval. Doing that which is right in the eyes of the Lord means we do not lead a double life. It means we do not do things in secret that would be an embarrassment and shame to us if other people discovered this about us. His priority was the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We see Asa and his practices.
People who have the right priorities and right principles always have the right practices. As soon as he became king, he removed the idolatrous altars, strange gods, and high places that his predecessors had established. He made it very clear that there was only one true God. Right practices remove anything that would hinder fellowship with God and mar one’s testimony. Right practices include making church attendance a priority. It includes scheduling time for Bible reading and prayer. It means being fervent in spirit and serving the Lord. Asa made it a rule in the kingdom that God was first in his life.
We see Asa and his prudence.
Asa knew that he had enemies on the outside who wanted to attack and conquer Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. He set to task the building of fortresses to fortify and protect the cities. Christians need to learn the importance of fortifying their spiritual lives from attack. Fortification requires work, prayer, and time. It requires daily inspection. It requires constant upkeep. He demonstrated good, spiritual wisdom in protecting the people whom he ruled. We must protect our faith and family by fortifying our life.
We see Asa and his prayer.
Asa would be soon tested in his faith and resolve from an attack by the Ethiopian army. It was a fearsome army that was much larger than his. He was outnumbered, out-manned, and out-matched. What did he do? He prayed! His prayer is one of the great recorded prayers of the Bible. In his prayer, he acknowledged that he was feeble: he said that he had no power. In his prayer, he acknowledged complete dependence upon God. His faith was in the Lord’s power and might. He asked the Lord to fight for him—and God did! Asa’s first test was one that he passed in victory because he relied upon the Lord. No matter how successful we become in the world’s eyes, we are never so big that we can do anything without the Lord. The Lord was Asa’s strong confidence.
Is the Lord your strong confidence? Are you resting completely upon the Lord? Follow Asa’s example, and sustain your life with strong confidence in Him!
Have a faith-empowered God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Chronicles 5-8