Good to the Last

As I write, I'm sipping coffee advertised as "good to the last drop." In other words, the whole cup promises to be flavorful and pleasing, with no bitterness at the end.

It's a good slogan for coffee. It's also a good goal for life!

I'd like to be good to the last too--striving to please God throughout my life, with no bitter dregs at the end.

That's why I pay attention to the cautionary story of King Asa in II Chronicles, chapters 14 through 16.

Asa starts his reign well, does many good things, but somehow gets derailed in old age.

Consider some of Asa's accomplishments as king of Judah. He removes pagan shrines, demolishes idols, strengthens national defenses, and renews the nation's covenant with the Lord.

When threatened by a huge foreign army, he runs to the Lord first: "O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone." (II Chron. 14:11 NLT) The Lord gives strong victory in response to Asa's full-hearted faith.

But in later years of Asa's reign, something happens to his focus of trust.

Another army threatens--the kingdom of Israel. Rather than seek the Lord as before, Asa runs to the pagan king of Aram asking for a treaty to help him fight against Israel. The plan seems to succeed.

But God sends Asa a message of correction through the prophet Hanani:

"...You have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God...The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been!" (II Chron.16:7&9 NLT)

Rather than receive the Lord's rebuke with humble repentance, Asa angrily throws Hanani in prison. Asa seems to grow bitter and distant from the Lord.

He starts to oppress some of his own people.

In the final years of his reign, Asa develops a serious foot disease. The writer of Chronicles comments, 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...(II Chron. 16:12-13-NLT)

It makes me sad that Asa died with bitter dregs in his cup.

Why did he think political alliances were more important than seeking God's help for his nation? Why did he rely on doctors alone, forgetting to commit his health to the Lord first? Why didn't he change his ways at the Lord's correction?

Whatever the reasons, Asa slipped and fell in old age. He slipped from fully trusting his Lord and fell into a habit of relying on his own wisdom.

By God's grace, may we avoid such a bitter end!

Let's be good to the last--"faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed." (Hebrews 3:14 NLT)