2 Chronicles 14:11
“And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘ Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’”
King Asa, and the nation of Judah, were facing an obstacle much too great for them to overcome. An army from North Africa numbering over a million soldiers, had gathered to fight against them. Knowing their own resources were inadequate for the challenge, Asa cried out to the Lord for assistance. From his prayer we learn four important principles.
First, when facing challenges, the right thing to do is to go to the Lord. Instead of thinking we can handle it on our own or blaming God for the difficulty, we should cry out to God for help. He is, after all, a present help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
Second, God is not limited by our limitations. It is no more work for God to aid Asa’s small army, than it would be to aid a massive army. The limits of man do not limit God. He is only limited when we do not trust Him and fail to cry out for His help.
Third, in the midst of their trial Asa declared they would rest in the Lord. Instead of allowing the uncertainty of circumstances to fill us with anxiety, fret, and fear, we should turn to the the Rock, and trust in His provision and care. No matter how turbulent the waters may get, we can always rest in the Lord.
Finally, they went forward declaring “. . .in Your name we GO. . .” They knew they had been called to move forward, rather than turn back. The book of Hebrews declares that we are not those who turn back. No matter what challenges you might be facing, the answer is found in moving forward with the Lord, rather than turning back.
Pastor Jim
Life is filled with trying experiences. We are often faced with difficulties we would not wish on our enemies, or with circumstances we would love to change. These experiences can shake us at the core of who we are and cause us to look outside of ourselves for assistance. We can learn a vital lesson from the Psalmist, who, in the midst of his difficulty, chose not to look out to his friends, or back to his old ways, or around at what others might be doing, but instead, he chose to look up to the only One who could truly assist him in his time of need.
Jim Gallagher 