Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

---

Read

2 Chronicles 15: 1-15 (NRSV)

The spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you, while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces, nation against nation and city against city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

When Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the LORD. He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing as aliens with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. They sacrificed to the LORD on that day, from the booty that they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their soul. Whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with horns. All Judah rejoiced over the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.

---

Reflect

Infants and young toddlers love to play “peek-a-boo,” squealing with delight when you hide your eyes behind your hands and then remove your hands to say, “I see you!” A few years later, they love hide-and-seek, giggling as you seek them out in all kinds of crazy places—“Are you in the sugar bowl? Are you in the piano bench?”

There is delightful reassurance in discovering or being discovered by someone who loves you, no matter how old you may be. Even now, when my adult children come into our house and call out, “Mom, Are you here?” I feel a special joy to be able to welcome them back home.

In this passage, Azariah tells Asa, “The Lord is with you, while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.” Imagine God’s joy when Asa took to heart the words of prophesy which Azariah spoke, removing the idols from the land and restoring the altar of the Lord. God’s people assembled at Jerusalem to make sacrifices to the LORD and entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers. Because they were earnest in seeking the Lord, God welcomed them and gave them rest on every side. God delights in our seeking God, and welcomes us home.

---

Pray

Gracious God, thank you for your ever-present love. Forgive me for those times when I fail to seek you. Draw me closer, keep my eyes and heart focused on you—today and every day. Amen.

Go with God.