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Asa, King of Judah


 I start out my walk this morning with Gypsy Rose, deep in my thoughts.  I am wondering about ancient days, times that in some ways seem so surreal, especially as I look around at our paved roads, sidewalks, and grassy lawns with magnolia and myrtle trees in bloom.  I admit it is hard to imagine the time of 913 BC to about 873 BC, as I hear cars whizzing up and down the main streets.  My question stuck in my mind, is how did King Asa know how to follow God?

I reflect on my past reading of 1st and 2nd Samuel, along with almost the whole book of 1st Kings.  It hasn't gone well for the tiny nation of Israel, even from the beginning with their first King, Saul.  Yes, King  David did bring a willing heart to execute justice and to follow after God with his whole heart, but he brought a lot of baggage and drama into the mix too.  His son, King Solomon ushered in the golden age for Israel when they had unbelievable prosperity and peace.  But his reign ended with a divided kingdom, his son Rehoboam would be opposed by an adversary Jeroboam who would control the northern tribes of Israel, Rehoboam would only have Judah.  Ultimately, Rehoboam's reign would end, and Abijam would be King in his place.  But his reign quickly ended within 3 yrs, and then his son Asa becomes King of Judah in his place.

Now, Abijam wasn't wholly devoted to God, like his great grandfather David was, but in God's grace he was given a lamp of hope for the future of the people.  He would have a son after him who would again establish Jerusalem .  Or in other words, the tribe and people of Judah would still have a place in the world, they would not utterly be destroyed.  So Asa his son comes on the scene, and he "did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father," (I Kings 15: 11).  

Asa was a descendant of Absalom the son of David, who actually led a revolt against his own father's kingdom.  Tension always existed between David and this son, not seeing eye to eye with issues in the family.  They never seemed reconciled.  Absalom seemed to be the hurting child, angry with his father's passivity toward injustice and wrong done to his sister Tamar.  And yet, David seemed hurt too, and unsure as to how to really love Absalom
in a just way, perhaps coming to grips with the harm he did by withholding his love only when Absalom was killed.  But from this family dysfunction, several generations beyond, comes Asa.  And my question still is, "how did he know?"

There are no recordings of a direct message from God for Asa.  There is nothing said about his upbringing as a child.  I wonder what he heard about his family, especially his great, great grandfather, David.  Did he have access to any of the Psalms or songs that David composed?  Was he familiar with the proverbs and wise sayings of Solomon?  I am sure he knew of some of the dark history of his family, e.g. the background of Solomon's birth, the rebellion of Absalom, etc.  I do not think the ancients forgot what took place in the past.  But still I wonder, how did one in the ancient days know how to follow after God?  Who was instrumental in being his mentor for leading a kingdom? It wouldn't seem to be his grandfather or father.  Did he see how their disobedience led to their demise, is that what persuaded him to wholly stay devoted to God?


I can't find an answer, except that I am reminded that how I live my life today does influence those with me now and those that will come after me.  I won't be there to answer their questions, but perhaps from my words they will see that as best as I can, I seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  I am not perfect, my past is just as cloudy and murky as the ancients, but perhaps that is why today I am filled with hope that God has not forgotten my descendants that have come after me.  As I walk with Him in a faithful loving way, He can bring truth and light to them, so that they will also be wholly devoted in their hearts to His way.  I can't answer all questions by looking backward, even looking back to the people I came from, there are too many unanswered things.  Yet, that doesn't mean that there will not be those in the future who seek and follow after God, even in this modern time.  God does what I can't even answer.  


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