Asa King of Judah

 

1 Kings 15:9-15

 

June 23, 2021

 

 Asa King of Judah

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.   He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.   He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.   Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.   He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

 

Asa's life was fully committed to the LORD all his life, it is not talking about perfection, no it is referring to obedience to the Lord’s word, written by Moses and the prophets.  What an epithet, and at 79 years of age this writer, knows for sure that could not be put on my tombstone.  But that does not change the desire of my heart to finish strong, to never again bring shame on the name of my Lord and Savior.

 

Men of faith in Jesus Christ, I’ve met in my short stay on planet earth, men that I look up to all would share they wish those words could be put on their tombstone.  Most of them would say they at some point did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  

 

Have you or are you giving any thought to what will be your epithet?  Remember we are not talking about perfection, we are talking about being true to the teaching of God’s Word, and nothing else, no other book, or teaching.  Remember your life on planet earth is a vaper, God, not the doctor has numbered your days, and no one but God knows that date.  

 

So, if that date is today, this week, this month, what will be your epithet be, my hope is it will be said about you, as well as me, they loved God and were a follower of Jesus Christ, they also loved their wife, children, and grandchildren, and were looking more each day to Jesus for they knew that the world and its desires were passing away, and the Word of God would last forever.  They knew that they were aliens on this earth, and we were looking forward to an eternal home, where they would be with their Lord.

Is that your desire?

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice