He
Delivered Them Into Your Hand
Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away
from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been
using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king
of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on
the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans
a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied
on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range
throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to
him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.”
Asa
was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in
prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some
of the people.
The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book
of the kings of Judah and Israel. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his
disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but
only from the physicians. Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors.
2
Chronicles 16:6-13
It is never about you
doing something on your own. It is always God doing something on your behalf,
always.
One aspect of God’s
glory is His almighty power. But how does He show His strength? He doesn’t do
it by rearranging the galaxies before our very eyes, or freezing a lightning
bold, or changing the color of the sun as a trophy of His power. Instead, in
His love and compassion for needy people like ourselves,
God has chosen to “show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal
to Him.”
The pattern is
consistent throughout Scripture. From the dividing of the Red Sea, to the
marvel of manna in the wilderness, to the miraculous virgin birth, and
ultimately to the power of the resurrection, our Almighty God has chosen to demonstrate
His strength to bless, preserve, and protect His people.
Be assured that He
delights in showing Himself strong in the challenges of our life. And when He
proves His power on our behalf, let’s remember to give Him the glory!
All
of God’s promises are backed by His wisdom, love, and power.
Our
Daily Bread – September 12, 2013