The Source
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the Lord’s help but turned only to his physicians. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.” 2 Chronicles 16:12-13 NLT
This scripture always jumps off the page to me. King Asa developed a serious disease, and he forgot there was more than the natural, logical things that could help him get better—that God had the power to supernaturally heal him. So what happened? He died.
Notice the passage says, “turned only to physicians.” Turning to the logical solution isn’t the wrong thing to do. But leaning on that alone omits the very Source—the source of all wisdom in modern medicine and things we haven’t even discovered yet. The source of every financial solution, because not only does He own everything, but He made it all, too. The source of all hope, joy, peace, and every good thing.
What would Asa’s story have looked like if he had turned to God first?
The Bible is full of stories where we get to see how this plays out. Sometimes, the Israelites consulted God before battle, following His lead into victory. Other times, they took it into their own hands and forgot to ask Him first—same army, same people, same weapons and resources—yet they were terribly defeated simply by trying to do it in their own strength.
David's story is one where we not only see God come through in battle—but God came through when David's resources alone would have never been enough.
David, a young boy equipped with five stones and a slingshot, defeated a giant that the entire Israelite army was too afraid to stand up to.
“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 1 Samuel 17:45-47 NLT
David could never give credit to the slingshot—it was the God behind the slingshot. It was David's great faith and obedience, combined with the resources in his hands, that defeated the giant he was facing.
In the many varieties of "giants" we face in life—from battles with our physical health to financial problems, conflict with others, grief, and loss—God has provided us with many great resources to help us through them. But it is ultimately when we remember to partner with Him—the Creator of every good thing—that we see victory.
Are you turning to good resources but forgetting the Creator who holds it all in His hands? Take a moment to pause and surrender it all to Him this week.
