How Jehovah Draws Close to Us - LEARN FROM AN ANCIENT EXAMPLE

Asa was zealous for true worship. He became king at a time when temple prostitution and idolatry were very common in the land. and he obeyed Jehovah by removing these bad things.  (1 Kings 15:9-13) Because Asa himself had drawn close to Jehovah and obeyed his laws, he could tell the people "to search for Jehovah the God of their forefathers and to observe the Law and the commandment." Jehovah then blessed the first ten years or Asa's rule with complete peace. Asa knew that this peace came from Jehovah, and he told the people:  "We have searched and he has given us rest all around." (2 Chronicles 14:1-7) So, what happened next?

Imagine that you are King Asa. Zerah the Ethiopian is leading 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots to war against your nation. (2 Chronicles 14:8-10)  He has almost twice as many soldiers  as your army does. How would you react?  Would you ask why God has not stopped this invasion?  Would you rely on your own wisdom?  Or rather, would you trust in Jehovah to protect you?  Asa clearly showed us that he had a close relationship with Jehovah and that he trusted him fully.  Asa cried out:  "Help us, O Jehovah our God, for we are relying on you."  How did God answer him?  "Jehovah defeated the Ethiopians."  Not one of them survived. - 2 CHRONICLES 14:11-13. 

How was Asa able to trust fully that God would protect and guide him?  The Bible says that "Asa did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah" and that his "heart was complete with Jehovah." (1 Kings 15:11, 14)  We too need to serve God with a complete heart so that we can be close to him now and in the future. We are grateful that Jehovah has taken the initiative to draw us close to him and that he helps us to have a close relationship with him. Let us see two ways in which God has done so. 

Next time: How Jehovah Draws Close to Us - JEHOVAH USES THE RANSOM TO DRAW US CLOSE

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