We longtime Christians face a recurring temptation that is so devious.
We are randomly tempted to feel so confident in our decision-making that we stop checking with God’s Word to see if we’re choosing wisely.
After all, we think, we haven’t been ruined by our past decisions so why would we be ruined by any future decision?
Dumb line of presumptive, incomplete reasoning, I know.
Listen, no matter how long we are in the family of God, we still have to listen to Daddy for, truly, Father knows best.
We can make 100 smart decisions as a teenager, decisions that applied the lessons and principles that both our earthly and heavenly father/Father taught us. But if, just once, we decide that we don’t need their advice or don’t need to base our decision on their lessons and values, we’re likely going to end up in a bad situation.
This still happens with older, longtime Christians unfortunately.
The roster of “Thought I could do it myself, but I learned that I was wrong” people in scripture is very long.
Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Jonah, Peter were all bigshots of faith who made big problems for themselves because of prideful reliance upon their own understanding.
King Asa of the Southern Kingdom belongs on that list, too. He was a wonderful, godly leader for 35 years, pushing for all sorts of spiritual renewal among the people in the years before Babylon invaded and destroyed that kingdom. You can read about it here.
But then, despite so many years of faithfulness, pride grabbed the reins of his heart and he messed up big time by ignoring Solomon’s warning to lean not on his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Instead of turning to God when hassles and intimidation came from the arch enemy/backslidden Northern Kingdom of Israel, Asa hired pagan mercenaries to come and threaten Israel with war.
In an earthly sense, the plan worked because Israel withdrew, the pagan army got a bunch of Asa’s silver and gold and Asa didn’t have to worry about losing his land to the deadbeat, backsliding, morally compromising sort-of Jews to the north.
In avoiding the battle, though, Asa lost the war.
God sent a preacher named Hanani to Asa and told him, in effect, that the dumb mistake of trusting a godless king to protect God’s people and God’s Promised Land was really, really bad. Hanani reminded Asa that God’s eyes go everywhere to find and help those totally relying on Him.
Sadly, Asa’s pride had lured him into a one-way trap.
“You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war,” the prophet promised Asa.
Listen, no matter how long you or I have been a Christian, we CANNOT drop our guard by looking to worldly help as a replacement for God’s help.
I really don’t know why Asa changed his pattern and relied on a pagan king rather than God. Perhaps there was sin in his life at that time and he didn’t want to repent before seeking help.
Hmmmm….. guess that happens all the time with longtime believers, doesn’t it?
Please make sure that you’re right with God spiritually and that He’s the first call you make when tough times — or tough temptations — come.
The cost will be too high to do something else and you will keep paying for it over and over.
As always, I love you
Martin
