SERVING THE LORD

2 Chron. 15:12  And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD

 God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

            Here was a time in Judah much like ours today.  Judah had turned her back on God and His law.  Verse 3 of this chapter states that Israel had been a long time without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.  God was there, but they were ignoring Him.  Bible teaching was scarce.  God give us teaching pastors, please.  According to verses 5, 6 there was no peace, but there were great vexations.  Cities and nations were being destroyed.  Doesn't that sound like our day?

            They entered into a covenant to seek God.  According to verse 8 the good king Asa led with courage, in obedience to the prophet, and put away the idols and renewed the altar of the Lord.  The altar spoke of atonement for sin, which Jesus made for us on the cross.  We have done the opposite.  We have gone after all kinds of idols, and we have forsaken the doctrine of Christ's atoning sacrifice.  Their turning to God was not just passing; they sought after Him with all their heart.  My how we need a leader who will call the nation back to God.  We need also to seek Him with all our heart.

            We need to learn by this example.  Have you made a commitment to God?  Let us learn to zealously live by that commitment.  I am not talking about how to be saved.  I am talking about how to live after God has saved us.  Let us fulfill our commitment with joy and determination.  Verses 14, 15 of this chapter tell us, "And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.  And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about."   Their determination to seek the Lord was demonstrated in the fact that they took an oath to do so.  They made this commitment with great joy.  They sought Him with great desire, and they were blessed to find Him and with Him great rest.  If only our people would again determinedly and joyfully seek the Lord, what blessing might He pour out on our sin cursed land?  Amen.