FAITHFUL TO THE FINISH NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION
"It ain't over 'til it's over" - one of those old sayings in baseball to remind players that it's a nine-innings, twenty-seven outs game- like the other night when the Braves led by four runs with one out needed to win but, four relief pitchers later, lost the game by one run. Up to that point in the game, every aspect of flawless play had been on display for all to see! Then, an error of judgment, followed by a wild throw, blew it all! In the last inning of his reign as King of Judah, Asa1 s uncalled-for error of judgment precipitated uncharacteristic anger that pretty-much blew his life-long reputation as a leader whose heart was totally committed to the Lord! How disappointing it must have been to those people who looked up to Asa as a role model of faithfulness!
For quite some time now, as we have studied about Asa's spiritual reforms, we have praised him to "high heaven" for dealing seriously with sin . . . divine blessings enjoyed by his people . . . dependency on the LORD God . . . devoted obedience to the Word of the Lord . . . his demands made of all people, including his family, to obey God's commands.
Yet, despite all the good that Asa did and all the praise heaped on him - by the author of Chronicles, other historians, those of us who saw in him those spiritual qualities, courage and the kind of covenant relationship we all need to stay the course to the finish - we are left wondering, "What happened?"
For the answer to that bewildering question, we can speculate or surmise this or that, but the truth is: We do not know!
Through the centuries, there have been religious and civil personalities who came onto the national or local scene and made quite a splash with their rhetoric as well as their resumes - only to crash and be heard from no more . . . Asa was not that' type. He was no phony - nothing fake about his devotion to God as evidenced by his record. So, what happened? Well, you can draw your own conclusions. As for me:
The key point to be made from his collapse- physical, mental, moral, spiritual collapse of a highly regarded ruler - whose leadership had been evident for decades - is this:
Devotion to God in the past is no guarantee of devotion in the present, nor is devotion to God in the present a guarantee of devotion in the future. Devotion to God is a day-to-day challenge - and it's that way on purpose, meaning:
Whatever our situation or circumstances, don't forget God's faithfulness!
"O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come! Be Thou our guide while life shall last, and our eternal Home!"
In the waning years of Asa's life -whether he could help it or not -this revered King of Judah forgot the LORD God . . . 2 Chronicles 16:1-13 . . .
Asa's covenant with God should have presupposed his staying the course to the finish just as our new covenant with God through Christ presupposes our staying the course to the finish. Yet, we are pilgrims . . . we never know what is going to happen next to interrupt our progress. Have you read Bunyan's famous work, "Pilgrim's Progress"?
Whatever it was that turned Asa's thinking and acting away from a spiritual orientation, there were (are) certain consequences presented here of a heart that is no longer in touch with "things that are higher, things that are nobler".
If and when we lose that ""edge" we once had over negative emotions and fears - an "edge" we had due to our close relationship to God through Christ - we lose touch with the reality that we need God's help now more than ever.
First consequence . . . Rely on one's own strength - When Judah's peace of two decades was threatened by the king of Israel {Northern Kingdom), Asa decided to deal with it on his own without consulting the LORD - which, if he had done so, most certainly would have produced a different, more positive outcome.
To take his case not to the Lord but to a pagan enemy of both Judah and Israel may have been strategically and politically advantageous in the short term, but a losing proposition in the long run - inasmuch as it would set back unity of the divided kingdom for generations to come.
Give enemies of God an inch, they will take a mile; there will be no end to what they try next! Give in to unsavory people who want to do you in, they win, you lose - but, more importantly, the cause of right vs wrong suffers a setback.
Second consequence . . . Restrict the blessings of God - Asa relied on a pagan ruler instead of leaning on the LORD. When in the past Asa depended on the God of his fathers, victory was guaranteed!
Got to love the first part of 16:9 - depicts God's omnipresence plus omniscience - "showing Himself strong for those who are fully devoted to Him".
Think about it: "God is eagerly watching for the opportunity to help those who trust Him r God was far more available, would have provided far more effective aid - than any earthly power Asa could turn to - or any alliance that left God out of the equation! Folks: Never leave the LORD out of your thinking ... planning . . . acting! In God we trust!
Third consequence . . . Reject God's instruction. Asa lost his temper and threw the prophet in prison - and, as if blaming the messenger wasn't bad enough, he took out his frustration on just anybody. Of all the critical times when we need to heed the word of the Lord, would you agree that we need Him most when we go through the valleys of life.
Fourth consequence . . . Refuse to seek God's help. When Asa's illness became severe, and death was near, he refused to take his burden to the Lord in prayer. Why he did not ask for God's help remains a mystery.
Whether Asa was angry at God, or confused by his condition . . . there was no mention of the Lord in his hour of greatest need.
What a comfort it could have been to Asa (and those closest to him) if he (they) had had the presence of mind: to review his life of devotion to God . . . to recall the good that he, with God's help, had been able to accomplish . . . to remember God's faithfulness from start to finish . . . to rest assured, as he drew his last breaths, that soon and very soon he would go to dwell in the House of the Lord forever!
As long as we have breath and our brain is still "in gear", let us: renew our focus on the LORD God our Maker-Father-Redeemer . . . rely on God our refuge in times of trouble . . . remain faithful to the LORD as best we know how and can ... rejoice that the LORD watches over and helps those who are found faithful.
Comes to mind an old axiom using the terminology "a two-way street" - meaning: Genuine relationships are reciprocal. Examples: "Loyalty is a two-way street" - "Love is a two-way street" - "Trust is a two-way street". Applying this axiom to the point we are making: Faithfulness is a two-street! Think about it:
We love God because He first loved us. We trust God because He entrusted to us the dominion over His Creation . . . dissemination of His New Creation. We sing to the LORD "Great is Thy faithfulness unto me"! How about MY faithfulness unto the LORD? A two-way street!
We admired Asa as a model of faithfulness, then we were ambushed by a stark reminder that no one is perfect- all the time, nor until the end of time!
For whatever reason, Asa took his eyes off the LORD; we'll never know why - and we don't need to know. We can only think of ourselves, and say: "But for the grace of God, there go /." As God my Father watches over me, my prayer is:
"May no conceitedness or illness or loss of temper or anything else in all my world of ups and downs prevent me from trusting God will all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind"! My charge to family and friends is: Never forget ...
"God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful" (I cor. 1:9). ''Be faithful to the finish, and the Lord will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). One more thing:
God's people remembered Asa and honored his life as it had been (16:14). May we be remembered for honoring God by our faithfulness to the finish! Amen.
