Asa’s cry to God is a beautiful illustration of the dependence God calls us to:
“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”
First, we must acknowledge that we are powerless. Whatever foe we are up against, it is not within our power to claim victory. How many times do we falter because we underestimate the force we are facing? We think, “I got this.” And find ourselves humiliated and defeated.
Next we must recognize that God, alone, has the power to be victorious. He speaks and life emerges; he defeated death and rose in power. Is there any battle before you that He cannot handle with ease? Of course not! We used to sing a simple chorus that says it all, “He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today.”
We must also confess that the battle belongs to Him. We are His treasure, and whatever is coming against us is attacking His beloved. Do we believe that He loves us? Do we trust that He is our Defender? Imagine a romance where the damsel insists on defeating the foe herself rather than trusting her Hero. It might play well in our modern, feminist world, but God’s love story with us is one where our Hero woos, He pursues, and He rescues.
Finally, we must trust the outcome. This is probably the most difficult step of all. Sometimes the victory of God’s plan may not look like a victory at all from our vantage point. But God sees the end game. Judah won this battle, but eventually they were overcome, defeated and sent into exile. But as Ezra is proclaiming this story to the returning exiles, we see that even the darkest moment was part of God’s ultimate victory.
When we stray from a posture of dependence on the Lord to one of self-sufficiency, God’s love for us demands that He allow whatever circumstances are necessary to draw us back into right relationship with Him.
“Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”
First, we must acknowledge that we are powerless. Whatever foe we are up against, it is not within our power to claim victory. How many times do we falter because we underestimate the force we are facing? We think, “I got this.” And find ourselves humiliated and defeated.
Next we must recognize that God, alone, has the power to be victorious. He speaks and life emerges; he defeated death and rose in power. Is there any battle before you that He cannot handle with ease? Of course not! We used to sing a simple chorus that says it all, “He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today.”
We must also confess that the battle belongs to Him. We are His treasure, and whatever is coming against us is attacking His beloved. Do we believe that He loves us? Do we trust that He is our Defender? Imagine a romance where the damsel insists on defeating the foe herself rather than trusting her Hero. It might play well in our modern, feminist world, but God’s love story with us is one where our Hero woos, He pursues, and He rescues.
Finally, we must trust the outcome. This is probably the most difficult step of all. Sometimes the victory of God’s plan may not look like a victory at all from our vantage point. But God sees the end game. Judah won this battle, but eventually they were overcome, defeated and sent into exile. But as Ezra is proclaiming this story to the returning exiles, we see that even the darkest moment was part of God’s ultimate victory.
When we stray from a posture of dependence on the Lord to one of self-sufficiency, God’s love for us demands that He allow whatever circumstances are necessary to draw us back into right relationship with Him.
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