When You Are With Him

I wrote about Asa yesterday, but this guy has some good stories, so here's another.

Background for this passage is simply that Asa was kind of "freaked out" about some opposition he was up against. Luckily, Azariah was there...

"The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, 'Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.'" 2 Chronicles 15:1-4 (NIV)

The short version of the aftermath is that, upon hearing this, Asa's heart was encouraged, his resolution to believe God restored and he took courage and charged ahead.

There is much we can learn not only from Asa's example, but from Azariah's exhortation. The idea that when we seek God, we will find Him is repeated in many places in the Bible, and I can always use the reminder. I also appreciate the reality check in reference to Israel. I'm comforted by the reminder that my problems aren't the first problems ever to exist on the face of the earth; it's a perspective thing I guess. I remember that, over generations, Israel repeatedly turned from God, but each and every time they sought Him, He was found by them, and He proved Himself strong on their behalf. It's hard for even me to convince myself He won't show up for me.

My favorite sentence in Azariah's encouragement is this: "The Lord is with you when you are with him." People talk about "finding God" all the time, and I've often heard it said in response that "God wasn't lost!" There's truth in the sentiment of that humor though. God doesn't stray from me; but I do stray from Him. He is always with me; it just doesn't seem like it sometimes, because I forget that I am with Him.

I just have to remember that our God is a loving, ever-present Father and that His heart is ALWAYS on me. And all it takes to feel that reality is to make an effort to be with Him. And He is with me. Always. Forever. This truth may seem cliche, and certainly may seem like old news to some, but when I stop and consider the magnitude of a loving Father whose perfect love shields me always, prefers me always and is always focused on me, I feel waves of gratitude anew. We serve an amazing King!