2 Chronicles 26:1-5: a reflection

1All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. 2He built Eloth and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers. 3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. 4He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

Of King Uzziah it is said that he did what was right, and the account puts his prosperity in direct connection with his seeking of God: He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. Uzziah's prosperity was tied to his seeking of God, and the phrase is telling: as long as he sought the LORD. The blessing came not from a one-time act of seeking, but from a continued seeking; as long as he kept seeking God, God kept making him prosper. The seeking was to be ongoing, not a single event; and the blessing lasted as long as the seeking did.

Notice the connection, and the condition: as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. Uzziah's seeking of God was not a one-time thing; he set himself to seek God, and continued in it, and as long as he did, God prospered him. The phrase as long as points to something ongoing: the seeking was to continue, and the blessing continued with it. Seeking God is not a single act, done once and finished; it is an ongoing thing, to be continued. And the account hints, by its as long as, that the seeking could also cease, and with it the blessing. As long as Uzziah kept seeking, God kept prospering him; the seeking was to be continual.

That is worth taking to heart, for seeking God is not a one-time act but an ongoing thing, to be continued. We can treat seeking God as something done once, a past decision, and then neglect the continued seeking; but Uzziah prospered as long as he sought the LORD, and the seeking was to be ongoing. To seek God is not a single event but a continual practice, to be kept up, not left behind. Do not treat seeking God as a one-time act, done and finished; keep seeking him continually, as Uzziah prospered as long as he sought the LORD. Keep seeking God continually, not treating it as a one-time act but an ongoing practice, as Uzziah prospered as long as he sought the LORD; for seeking God is not a single event but a continual thing, to be kept up rather than left behind, and the blessing of God is found in the continued seeking of him.

Lord, of King Uzziah it is said that he did what was right, and the account puts his prosperity in direct connection with his seeking of you: he set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. Uzziah's prosperity was tied to his seeking of you, and the phrase is telling: as long as he sought the LORD. The blessing came not from a one-time act of seeking, but from a continued seeking. Show me the connection, and the condition: as long as he sought the LORD, you made him prosper. Uzziah's seeking of you was not a one-time thing; he set himself to seek you, and continued in it, and as long as he did, you prospered him. The phrase as long as points to something ongoing: the seeking was to continue, and the blessing continued with it. Seeking you is not a single act, done once and finished; it is an ongoing thing. And the account hints, by its as long as, that the seeking could also cease, and with it the blessing. Take that to my heart, for seeking you is not a one-time act but an ongoing thing, to be continued. I can treat seeking you as something done once, a past decision, and then neglect the continued seeking; but Uzziah prospered as long as he sought you. To seek you is not a single event but a continual practice. Keep me from treating seeking you as a one-time act, done and finished; help me keep seeking you continually, Lord, as Uzziah prospered as long as he sought you, for the blessing of you is found in the continued seeking of you.