2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

This is not a complicated prophecy, but obviously Asa’s heart was prepared to receive it, and likewise the hearts of those close to him. The Japanese clearly expresses this in the plural – “ya’ll”, or “you guys” – which is something standard English lacks. Asa couldn’t have done this by himself, even though he was king. We don’t need complicated theology to follow God, we just need faith and commitment. Asa had several strikes against him when he started, including a poor home environment. Verse 16 says that his own mother had been involved in idolatry, but he took this prophecy to heart and clung to Yahweh. We have no excuses, because each individual is personally accountable to God. Asa didn’t do everything right after that, including a major blunder that is recorded in the next chapter, but he certainly made a good start. The lesson for us is twofold: we need faith and commitment, and we need follow-through. Good starts aren’t so difficult, but the daily slog of trust and obedience can drag us down. We need to remember that God isn’t there just in the good times, but in every moment of every day. One of the major lessons of the whole Bible, taught through good examples and bad examples, is that God calls for faithfulness. Even Jesus spoke of two sons, one who said the right things and didn’t follow through, and the other who was initially rebellious but who ended up being obedient, and He praised the second. (Matthew 21:28-32) We need to listen to what God is saying to us, and then we need to be careful to follow through and do it, as He gives us the strength and ability.

A: It seems like God has been saying a lot about faithfulness recently! He has carried me wonderfully to this point, and I certainly am not to back off. Various things have caused me to look back over my life, and I am in awe of how patient God has been with me. I certainly don’t want to abandon Him now! Various people I have known for many years are leaving this life, and others seem to be deciding, “I’m old,” and pulling back in their obedience to God. I don’t want to do that! I am to be wise and not presumptive in my activities, but as Azariah the son of Oded said to Asa, I am to take courage and not let my hands be weak, because my work will be rewarded.

Father, thank You for this encouraging reminder. Thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday, including some real physical labor. Thank You for Your plans for today, which include a baptism. That is of far more importance and reward than the physical labor! I pray that my every moment would be spend doing what You desire of me, in fellowship with You by Your Spirit, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!