READING: 2 Chronicles 16-19, Acts 5:33-6:15
Sometimes we’re just hardheaded. Seriously hardheaded and obstinate. You would think we’d know better, but we don’t always live that way.
In today’s Old Testament reading, King Asa turned to the King of Syria to help him fight Israel rather than trust the Lord for victory. God had granted his forces power for victory in the past, but Asa for some reason chose not to turn to God for help in this case; thus, the seer said to the king, “Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? When you depended on the Lord, he handed them over to you . . . You have [now] been foolish in this matter” (2 Chron 16:8-9). The result would be that Asa’s kingdom would face ongoing wars.
One would hope that Asa would have learned his lesson, but such was not the case. Later, he developed a foot disease that was “increasingly severe” (2 Chron 16:12)—but still, “even in his disease he didn’t seek the Lord but only the physicians” (2 Chron 16:12). Even as he approached death, he sought only the help of man rather than the help of the One who created him. He was hardheaded . . . foolish, even.
Lest we judge him too harshly, though, we’re often quite like him. We forget yesterday’s lessons and make the same faulty decisions today. We need God’s help every second of every day to be wise.
PRAYER: “God, I’m not very wise some times. Help me to remember what You’ve already taught me.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 2 Chronicles 20-23, Acts 7:1-16
