It would be safe to say that the story of King Asa is relatively foreign to many church goers today. It is not one of the typical bible stories told in Sunday school, and certainly not referenced nearly as often as other biblical narratives, perhaps because it does not end happily for the King. Regardless, it is a wonderful story that bares similarities to other more popular narratives and carries with it a picture of a man, his relationship with God, and his struggles in that relationship that are relevant today. I was once told that the mark of a good story is found in whether or not it can be applied regardless of time and culture, and this story bares such a mark. I like this narrative because it accurately mirrors not only my life, but the difficulties that many Christians face in combating the flesh and walking with God. It is amazing how the life of a king thousands of years ago can be so similar to the lives of everyday people in the present.
King Asa’s story is recorded in 2 Chronicles 14-16. In the beginning of 2Chronicles 14, Asa has succeeded his father, Abijah, on the throne as King Solomon’s great grandson and the third King of Judah. During the time that King Asa received his throne the scripture tells us that Asa was walking closely with the Lord. He removed foreign alters and high places, smashed sacred stones, and cut down the ashrah poles, commanding Judah to seek the God of their father’s and listen to and obey Him, “…and the kingdom was at peace under him” 2 Chronicles 14:5. As time progressed Asa built up the fortified cities of Judah and an army of three hundred thousand brave fighting men; all of it prospered. “No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest” 2 Chronicles 14:6.
God’s calling was apparent; he had chosen Asa to be the king of Judah and to lead His [God’s] people back to the one true God. Throughout the remainder of chapter 14 one can see King Asa answering this calling and trusting in the Lord’s ability and power in striking down Judah’s enemies. When taken to war by the Cushites, King Asa demonstrated his trust in the Lord through this cry-
“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us,
O Lord our God, for we rely on you and in your name we have come against this
vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”
-2 Chronicles 14:11
“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us,
O Lord our God, for we rely on you and in your name we have come against this
vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”
-2 Chronicles 14:11
The Narrative continues with the Lord hearing King Asa’s request and striking down the Cushites before King Asa and Judah. After this, in chapter 15, the Lord issues another calling to King Asa saying that He (the Lord) is with Asa when Asa is with Him; and that He will be found by King Asa when Asa seeks Him, but that He will forsake King Asa, when King Asa forsakes Him. Asa also hears and answers this calling and God was found through King Asa’s passionate and eager seeking. There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of King Asa’s reign.
The real crisis of this narrative occurs in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign when King Baasha of Israel went up against Judah and fortified the city of Ramah to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the territory of King Asa, This was a great developmental opportunity for King Asa to once again place his trust in God and call for help, but Asa did not. Instead, Asa took silver and gold from the Lord’s temple and his own palace in order to form a treaty with the King of Aram. This treaty stipulated that the King of Aram would break his treaty with the King of Israel, forcing them to withdraw from Judah. Although, Israel was in fact forced to withdraw from Judah through this treaty, King Asa had forsaken the Lord. First, King Asa had taken matters into his own hands and called on the help of man instead of God. Second, King Asa had taken gold and silver from what had been dedicated to the Lord in order to add value to his offer of a treaty with the King of Aram. Lastly, Asa used what he had wrongfully gained to add to his personal wealth and power by building the cities Geba and Mizpah out of abandoned supplies intended for the city of Ramah.
In response to King Asa’s disobedience, God sent word to Asa saying that because of Asa’s neglect to call on the Lord for help, he would not see Judah at peace again in his lifetime. In this narrative, God did not reestablish Himself faithfully because, as God had stated before, if Asa forsook Him, He would forsake Asa. In the same way, I fully believe that if Asa had repented and returned to God, God would have fulfilled His promise to be found by King Asa and return to him. However, Asa never again sought God. Later, Asa was afflicted with a disease and “…though the disease was severe, even in his illness King Asa did not seek help from the Lord, but only from physicians” 2 Chronicles 16:12. Nonetheless, God prevails and enters into communion once again with Judah through the next king, Jehoshaphat.
Although this narrative does not end well for King Asa, I can easily find similarities between him and me when it comes to our individual walks with God. In the same way King Asa eagerly sought God and walked with Him, there have been times in my life where I have also. Conversely, there have also been periods and circumstances in my life where I have forsaken God, much like Asa. I so often find myself abandoning God for what I think I can handle on my own, even though I have witnessed His power in fighting battles for me before. In addition, I also tend to select the battles I want the Lord to fight, and keep some battles for myself- failing miserably. I am fundamentally flawed in thinking that no one understands me or my situations better than I do, and that if I want something done right I should do it myself.
God has shown me time after time the error of this way of thinking. The summer after my freshman year of college I worked at a camp where my primary job as a counselor was to invest in the lives of students and be an example of Christ’s love. However, as God was working in the lives of my campers I began realize His desire to further impact my life as well. This desire was exemplified in God’s urgings to not solely see the deliverance my campers required, but the deliverance I needed also. One night in particular, God brought a sweet girl from my cabin to ask to speak with me alone. Before long, I realized I was sitting with a girl who was completely broken in hatred for herself and the family she felt never loved her. I had never felt so ill-equipped for anything in my life. I didn’t have any words of encouragement, and could find no glimpse of true understanding regarding exactly what she was going through. All I knew was that her hurt was far beyond anything I knew how to heal, and all I could do was hold her as she sobbed against my shoulder. It was then, that I asked the Lord for his help; for a way to comfort her, to show her His love, and to encourage her. We sat for half an hour in nothing but silence and tears as I begged God for something- anything to say or do… and nothing came. Suddenly, the girl ceased crying and sat up, telling me that God had been speaking to her. God had helped her to reach realizations and truths that I never could have accurately conveyed to her. It was then that I realized that God had heard our cries for help and offered deliverance, though not in the way I expected Him to.
God has shown me time after time the error of this way of thinking. The summer after my freshman year of college I worked at a camp where my primary job as a counselor was to invest in the lives of students and be an example of Christ’s love. However, as God was working in the lives of my campers I began realize His desire to further impact my life as well. This desire was exemplified in God’s urgings to not solely see the deliverance my campers required, but the deliverance I needed also. One night in particular, God brought a sweet girl from my cabin to ask to speak with me alone. Before long, I realized I was sitting with a girl who was completely broken in hatred for herself and the family she felt never loved her. I had never felt so ill-equipped for anything in my life. I didn’t have any words of encouragement, and could find no glimpse of true understanding regarding exactly what she was going through. All I knew was that her hurt was far beyond anything I knew how to heal, and all I could do was hold her as she sobbed against my shoulder. It was then, that I asked the Lord for his help; for a way to comfort her, to show her His love, and to encourage her. We sat for half an hour in nothing but silence and tears as I begged God for something- anything to say or do… and nothing came. Suddenly, the girl ceased crying and sat up, telling me that God had been speaking to her. God had helped her to reach realizations and truths that I never could have accurately conveyed to her. It was then that I realized that God had heard our cries for help and offered deliverance, though not in the way I expected Him to.
More presently, God has been calling me to a life of mission work. After years of fighting God on this instruction, and dealing with selfish anger over how it did not align with my desires- God has changed my heart. I am now at the place where I am yearning to meet this calling. However, regardless of good intentions, I came very close to ignoring God on a matter related to this calling only a few months ago. This occurred when knowledge that God was calling me to mission work and a friend’s planned short- term trip to Europe this coming summer collided. My friend, who also feels called to missions, disclosed to us that she would be going to Europe for a few weeks to stay with other missionaries in various countries and visit several mission organizations while she was there; however, she needed another companion for the journey. Thinking, without going to God about it, that this would be a good decision and a good way to establish connections in missions- I decided to announce to my family that no matter the cost or their opinion, I would raise the money and go. However, my family was a little more hesitant about the decision, and advised me that I should seek God’s counsel and wait on Him. After weeks of refusing to seek His will, I finally decided to just go to Him with my plans (not so much to seek direction, as to further confirm my decision to go). However, I surprisingly did not receive the confirmation I expected- and I didn’t go. Through all the anger and confusion that resulted from this, God opened my eyes to another mission opportunity right here in Abilene at a nursing home. It is definitely through God’s deliverance that I am able to serve there. I am constantly drawn back to King Asa’s words in 2 Chronicles 4:11; “O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.”
There is so much that Christians can glean from the story of King Asa. God desires our obedience and to bring us deliverance through the heeding of his calling. King Asa does not differ from other Christians and the struggle we all face to give request help from God or take things into our own hands. God longs to fight our battles, not to forsake us. He desires for us to seek Him and find Him. Exodus 14:14 says “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still”. As much as King Asa could have used this reminder, so do those walking with Christ. In this story we are convicted not to forsake God, but to forsake our desire for control. If one cannot humble them self and let God do the fighting, one will not fair any better in times of discord than King Asa.
