“And Asa did that which was good and right in the Eyes of the LORD, his God. . .And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul. . .And Asa, in the 39th year of his reign, was diseased in his feet until the disease was exceedingly great; yet, in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers and died in the 41st year of his reign.”
II Chronicles 14:2; 15:12; 16:12-13
There’s never a wrong time to start it and never a right time to stop.
“Seeking the LORD.”
Asa was the third king of Judah, who reigned from 911-870 B.C. The first 10 years of his reign were peaceful and prosperous: and he led many religious reforms, including banishing the pagan prostitutes used in idolatrous worship and breaking down their idols and images (I Kings 15:8-24).
Then, under the direction and encouragement of the prophet, Azariah, he became more zealous in his call for revival. He rebuilt the altar in Jerusalem and called on the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to renew their vows to the LORD (II Chron. 15:1-7).
In fact, he led them to “enter into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and soul.” And, then, he decreed that those who wouldn’t do it should be put to death, regardless of who they were (v.13)! No wonder they all sought Him!!
But, later on, in his 36th year, Asa took his eyes off of the LORD and sought the assistance of the king of Syria in his conflict with the king of Israel (16:1-3). And, then, when the prophet, Hanini, rebuked him for this, Asa became enraged and threw him into prison—along with others who supported the prophet (vv.7-10)!
Evidently, Asa had become and forgotten that God was the Source of his blessings. And, pride blinded him to his own actions even as it does us: causing us to act in ways that are displeasing to Him.
Sadly, three years later Asa’s feet became “greatly diseased:” and, sadly, instead of repenting and once again “seeking the LORD, he sought to the physicians instead.” And, two years later—in the 41st year of his reign—he died.
We can only conjecture what might have happened if he’d confessed and repented of his failure to seek the LORD; but, we must believe that God would have heard his cry of contrition and healed his feet if he had.
Regardless, again, there’s never a wrong time to seek the LORD and never a right time to stop. As He told Jeremiah, so He tells us: “And you shall seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart” (Jer. 29:13).
Therefore, seek the LORD, dear Pilgrim. Seek Him first and always. Make “knowing Him and the Power of His Resurrection” your life’s “Magnificent Obsession” (Phil. 3:10). Amen.
July 2, 2025
