2 Chronicles 15:8-19: a reflection

8When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the LORD’s altar that was before the LORD’s porch. 9He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. 11They sacrificed to the LORD in that day, from the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep. 12They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul; 13and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets. 15All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by them. Then the LORD gave them rest all around. 16Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burned it at the brook Kidron. 17But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. 18He brought the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels into God’s house. 19There was no more war to the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.

When King Asa and the people enter into a covenant to seek the LORD with all their heart and soul, the account records a beautiful result: they sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them. They sought him with their whole desire, the account says, and he was found by them; then the LORD gave them rest all around. The people did not seek God half-heartedly, but with their whole heart, their whole desire; and the promise held true, that those who seek God wholeheartedly find him. He was found by them. This shows the promise that those who seek God with their whole heart will find him. Seeking God with the whole heart, they found him. God is found by those who seek him with their whole desire. Wholehearted seeking of God is met with finding him. Those who seek God with all their heart find him.

Notice the connection between the wholeheartedness of the seeking and the finding. The people sought God not with a divided or half-hearted seeking, but with all their heart and soul, with their whole desire; and the result was that he was found by them. This reflects a promise that runs through Scripture: that God is found by those who seek him wholeheartedly, that when we seek him with all our heart, we will find him. The seeking that finds God is not the casual, half-hearted seeking that keeps him at the edge of our lives while our real desire is elsewhere, but the wholehearted seeking that truly wants him above all. This searches us. Do we seek God with our whole heart, our whole desire, or half-heartedly, with divided hearts? The promise is that those who seek him wholeheartedly find him; and this both encourages us to seek him with our whole heart, and assures us that such seeking is not in vain. God rewards the wholehearted seeker with himself. To seek God with our whole heart is to seek in the way that finds him. Wholehearted seeking finds God; half-hearted seeking keeps him at the edge. Seek God with your whole desire, and you will find him.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is found by those who seek him with their whole heart, and this both calls us to wholehearted seeking and assures us it is not in vain, as Asa and the people sought God with their whole desire and he was found by them. We can seek God half-heartedly, with divided hearts, keeping him at the edge while our real desire is elsewhere; but the people sought him with all their heart and soul, and he was found by them. Wholehearted seeking finds God. Seek God with your whole heart and desire, not half-heartedly, and trust the promise that those who seek him wholeheartedly find him. Seek God with your whole heart and desire, trusting that those who seek him wholeheartedly find him, as Asa and the people entered a covenant to seek the LORD with all their heart and soul, sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest; for the seeking that finds God is not the casual, half-hearted seeking that keeps him at the edge of our lives while our real desire is elsewhere, but the wholehearted seeking that truly wants him above all, and the promise runs through Scripture that God is found by those who seek him with all their heart, so that we do well to seek him wholeheartedly, both encouraged to seek him with our whole desire and assured that such seeking is not in vain, since God rewards the wholehearted seeker with himself.

Lord, when King Asa and the people enter into a covenant to seek you with all their heart and soul, the account records a beautiful result: they sought you with their whole desire, and you were found by them. They sought him with their whole desire, the account says, and he was found by them; then the LORD gave them rest all around. The people did not seek you half-heartedly, but with their whole heart, their whole desire; and the promise held true, that those who seek you wholeheartedly find you. Show me the connection between the wholeheartedness of the seeking and the finding. The people sought you not with a divided or half-hearted seeking, but with all their heart and soul; and the result was that you were found by them. This reflects a promise that runs through Scripture: that you are found by those who seek you wholeheartedly, that when we seek you with all our heart, we will find you. The seeking that finds you is not the casual, half-hearted seeking that keeps you at the edge of our lives while our real desire is elsewhere, but the wholehearted seeking that truly wants you above all. This searches me. Do I seek you with my whole heart, my whole desire, or half-heartedly, with a divided heart? The promise is that those who seek you wholeheartedly find you. Take that to my heart, for you are found by those who seek you with their whole heart. Keep me from seeking you half-heartedly, with a divided heart, keeping you at the edge while my real desire is elsewhere; help me seek you with my whole heart and desire, Lord, trusting the promise that those who seek you wholeheartedly find you, as Asa and the people sought you with their whole desire and you were found by them.