The other day as I was praying about some particular heart issues I was noticing in myself (ouch!), a familiar verse popped into my mind. It’s one I’ve heard and read many times, but I couldn't recall the context, so I did some reading. Sometimes when I read the Bible, I don’t necessarily “feel” anything, but I still trust the Word is working in me. However, this was not one of those moments. Contrarily, this was a moment when I felt like the Holy Spirit was shining a big ol’ flashlight on the page, bringing the Word to life and planting seeds of understanding right into the soil of my heart.
Over the last several days, the truths of this passage of scripture have been simmering in my heart, and I’ve written a devotional of sorts to share with you. I pray you’re encouraged by the Word today.
2 Chronicles 16:1-9 MSG
But in the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel attacked. He started it by building a fort at Ramah and closing the border between Israel and Judah to keep Asa king of Judah from leaving or entering.
Asa took silver and gold from the treasuries of The Temple of God and the royal palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram who lived in Damascus, with this message: “Let’s make a treaty like the one between our fathers. I’m showing my good faith with this gift of silver and gold. Break your deal with Baasha king of Israel so he’ll quit fighting against me.”
Ben-Hadad went along with King Asa and sent his troops against the towns of Israel. They sacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali. When Baasha got the report, he quit fortifying Ramah.
Then King Asa issued orders to his people in Judah to haul away the logs and stones Baasha had used in the fortification of Ramah and used them himself to fortify Geba and Mizpah.
Just after that, Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said, “Because you went for help to the king of Aram and didn’t ask God for help, you’ve lost a victory over the army of the king of Aram. Didn’t the Ethiopians and Libyans come against you with superior forces, completely outclassing you with their chariots and cavalry? But you asked God for help and he gave you the victory. God is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him. You were foolish to go for human help when you could have had God’s help. Now you’re in trouble—one round of war after another.”
This passage begins with the word, “But,” which is an important reminder to us when we read Scripture: context is key. On a grand scale, the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles provide a priestly history of Israel, and zooming in on 2 Chronicles 14-16, we read about one of Judah’s kings, Asa. King Asa had a great start. He “did what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God” (2 Chr. 14:2 CSB). He encouraged the people of Judah to seek God, to worship Him alone, and to walk in obedience to God’s commands.
Because of this, the people of Judah experienced great peace. As King Asa put it, “We sought him and he gave us rest on every side” (2 Chr. 14:7). Along the way, King Asa is given a promise/warning: “The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you” (2 Chr. 15:2). For thirty-five years of his reign, King Asa was “wholeheartedly devoted,” and the people of Judah sought the Lord and He was found by them.
This is when we land on “But” in chapter 16. In his thirty-sixth year, something changed in Asa’s heart. This king had a long, honorable history of seeking the Lord wholeheartedly and depending on Him in the midst of challenges. He was faced yet another challenge in his reign as king, but this time he decided that he would take matters into his own human hands. He veered from his well-traveled path of trusting and depending on the Lord, and it landed him in great trouble.
I imagine him hearing the rebuke from the seer: “Because you went for help to the king of Aram and didn’t ask God for help, you’ve lost a victory…”
And I imagine him having an immediate flashback to the promise/warning he received early on in his reign: “The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.”
Ugh. It reminds me of Peter hearing the third crow of the rooster. An instant gut-punch reminder of failure.
It’s easy to read someone else’s story of failure and cast judgment, but I just can’t unsee myself in this story. How often have I failed to depend on the Lord, to seek Him first, to devote myself wholeheartedly? How many times have I had a moment of fear, stress, or doubt and sought human help first instead of seeking the God who has been faithful to me time and time again? Yep, I can certainly relate to King Asa.
Thankfully, the main character of every story in Scripture is God. We do good to stop looking for ourselves in Scripture and to start looking for HIM first. What does this passage, this story of King Asa’s reign, successes, and failures show us about the character of our God?
For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. | 2 Chronicles 16:9a CSB
First, I am in awe of the way God searches for me. He is not a far-off, disconnected, uninterested God. He sees me. I love the way Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message, “God is always on the alert…” From the moment we are born, it is in our very nature to be looking for who is looking at us. We crave attention. We want to be seen. May we remember that we have the full attention of our Creator and Heavenly Father.
Secondly, God is literally looking for opportunities to show himself strong for me. He wants to! He’s actively seeking people who are totally committed to operating in His strength instead of their own. This is good news for us! Especially those of us who are weak (ahem…that’s all of us). God is looking for me to look for Him, and the promise is that He will be found.
A Prayer of Response:
Lord, thank you for seeing me and for actively seeking opportunities to show yourself strong in my life. I will gladly clear the stage and invite you to stand front and center in my life. May I see each day as another opportunity for me to seek you and for your strength to be displayed. I don’t only want to trust you for the destination — I want to trust you for the whole journey. I want to be found devoted to you wholeheartedly, always seeking your help, Maker of Heaven and Earth. You will not let my foot slip; You will keep me both now and forever. (Psalm 121).
If you enjoyed this devotional-style newsletter today, you may enjoy a YouVersion Bible Reading/Devotional Plan I helped write called Wondered by the Word.
A few things I’ve enjoyed lately that you might enjoy too…
We Have the Mind of Christ, Sermon from New Life Church, Colorado — My husband sent this to me in the middle of my grown-up meltdown when I was feeling very weak and insufficient. The truths communicated in this message were so timely and important for me. Take a listen.
Spiritual Maturity “In Christ”, Sermon from New Song Church — Another sermon that I found so powerful, yet practical.
Acts of the Apostles — Yep, I’m talking about the book of the Bible. I’ve been slowly reading through Acts this month, and it has stirred in me such a hunger for more of the Spirit in my life. I’m using this Illuminated Scripture Journal, which I love because there's plenty of space for me to jot down notes as I read and process.
Here are a few songs I’ve had on repeat lately:
Daily Bread by Pat Barrett and Kari Jobe — These lyrics… so personal and powerful.
Hunger by David & Nicole Binion & MDSN
Live in Step by Shane & Shane — This is technically a kids’s song, but it’s a good one for everyone and a favorite in the Dryer home.
+ one more that I’ll mention below.
Okay, this is a bit of a silly one, but I love it so much, I have to share. I have been wanting one of these veggie choppers for a while now. I cook a lot—especially now that we live in Kenai, AK, where eating out costs an arm and a two legs. ;) I chop a lot of veggies and shred a lot of cheese! On “Prime Day,” I decided it was a finally time to order the fancy chopper. GAME CHANGER, Y’ALL! Love my little chopper.
Dryer Family Updates
It’s hard to believe, but we have already completed the first quarter of the school year! It has flown by. The kids and I are settled into our new school, and we’re really enjoying the people. The kids have excellent teachers, we love our school staff, and my 5th graders are wonderful. We especially love the moose friends that hang around our school almost every day!
It’s been a couple months since my last newsletter, so you got some summer and fall photos today, but it’s officially winter in Kenai, y’all! We got our first snow of the season this week! The whole Dryer family is PUMPED about that! The kids are looking forward to beginning cross-country ski lessons and enjoying the outdoors winter-style.
I don’t feel that I have adequate words for this next update, but it’s certainly an important update for our family so I will do my best. Last Sunday, the membership of our church, Kenai New Life, selected us to be the new Lead Pastors. We are following two incredible pastors and servants who have served this church body faithfully for 36 fruitful years. It is an incredible understatement to say we have big shoes to fill. We are genuinely humbled and honored to say yes to this next step of obedience. We believe the Lord has called our family to love, serve, and make disciples in the beautiful community of Kenai. We already love our church family, and we look forward prayerfully and expectantly to the days ahead! Our worship team led us in such a timely song on Sunday: Jesus, be the center of it all… It is cry of our hearts as we enter this new season of our lives.
As I was finishing writing this, Zeke walked by and asked what I was doing. I told him I’m writing a newsletter, and his response was, “That’s a loooooooong newsletter, Mom!” He’s not wrong. So thanks for hangin’ with me through a loooooong newsletter today. As always, my hope and prayer is that you’re encouraged. And of course, I always love to hear back from you!
Much love and big hugs from Alaska!
Lindsay
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I always look forward to your newsletters! And I know how busy you are so thankful you make the time when you can! Marlene. PS. Those kiddos are growing up fast! Prayers for you, Josh & family
Good Words!! "May we keep Him center in all things. Have your way with us, Lord." ~ Amen