| II Chronicles 15:2 “And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” After defeating a massive Ethiopian army, King Asa was riding tall in the saddle! Once they gathered all kinds of spoil from the battle, God warned His people to beware and encouraged them to be strong. On the heels of great success often comes the strongest temptation to forsake God or faint in the way. The two admonitions from God to Asa and Judah are good for us today, too!
First, beware when you are “riding high.” There is a chance you could forsake God because we do not usually seek God in times of peace. We are most likely to seek God when our backs are against the wall and we have no other option! When things are going well, beware! Seek God!
Second, be strong when you must battle. God encourages Asa and the people to“be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” Are your hands ever weak? Do you ever face a “down” time? Serving God takes work, and sometimes that work can drain you-and then ask for more. When you find yourself stretched thin, remember this verse! “Your work shall be rewarded.” As assuredly as God will be found if you seek Him, your work will be rewarded. And the great news is that God is the One doing the rewarding!
My natural inclination is to wonder how God is going to reward me. How will this situation pan out? How will I be rewarded for this? Crowns in heaven? Money now? Affirmation now? The truth to remember is, the One who rewards you is more important than what He rewards!
You do not need to know how God is going to reward to trust Him. “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” God will not forget to reward you! Today, if things are going great, beware lest you forsake God. If you are weary in well-doing, be strong and trust God for your reward! |
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