2 Chronicles 16:9

9 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! From now on you will be at war.”

In 2 Chronicles 16 we find the prophet Hanani speaking a word of rebuke from the Lord to King Asa, because Asa had turned from the Lord and looked to others for his help. In life we are always confronted with the decision of who we will trust, who we will receive and rely on and who we will reject. In the turning to there is always a turning away from, and in his trials and circumstances Asa sought a human solution to his problem. Instead of relying upon the Lord to intervene in his battle Asa buys a treaty with another king to take care of his problem. It is not sin to use human means to solve our problems, but it is sin to trust them more than God, to think they are better than God’s ways, or to leave God completely out of the problem-solving process.  Instead of seeking God Asa had sought the help of pagan nations to help Him. Who do you seek and turn to for help, who do you include in the problem solving aspects of your life? Asa was searching for a solution but it wasn’t just Asa who was searching, in the midst of this word from the Lord, we find a powerful truth that not only applied then but also applies to us today. God was also searching and we need to be aware of the “Searching of the Lord”. What does it mean to search? It’s the process of looking or seeking after something in order to find or uncover. Can you remember a time in your life when you were searching, when you were looking for something? May be it was a set of keys, or a job, may be even a relationship, searching requires time and focus, it requires effort on our part. The Lord is daily and diligently searching, and just as we are looking for something of value to us so is He.

So what is it that He is actively searching for? Unlike most of our searching that is external the Lord is daily searching the hearts of people throughout the earth and His searching is an internal one. Remember what the Lord said to Samuel the prophet as Samuel considered anointing David’s brother as the next king. I Samuel 16:7 “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART”. In King David’s charge to his son Solomon in I Chronicles 28 he says “acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches EVERY HEART and understands every motive behind the thoughts..”. Scripture reminds us that the Lord is constantly searching the hearts of people to see the motives, the thoughts, the attitudes and desires hidden inside.  Hebrews 4:13 reminds us that “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”  Who we seek and who our hearts are committed to reveals several things:

• RELATIONSHIP

The first thing that is revealed in this passage is our relationship and we are confronted with the question, “How is your heart in
relationships?” We have a loving Father who longs to have a good relationship with us, God longs to have a strong relationship with those whose hearts are committed and loyal to Him. In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus summed up the whole law when He said “Love God and love people” that concept of loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves is certainly not the way of the world. The way of the world is, I am number one and I am going to look out for me, everyone else can look out for themselves. As for God and His ways well if it is convenient I will fit Him into my schedule, after all God helps those who help themselves right? Wrong God helps those who can’t help themselves but repent and cry out to Him for help. We come into right relationship with God when we believe in and trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross. God desires for us to experience that right relationship and we must be prepared to be fully committed to him.  The same goes for our earthly relationships it requires commitment and loyalty for them to work. How do you shape up are you fully committed to a right relationship with God Father, Son and Holy Spirit and are you fully committed to a right relationship with those around you, your neighbors? Are there trust issues in your relationships that are holding you back? What is holding you back from a commitment to right relationships?

Psalm 118:8

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

In answering the question, “why is it better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man?” we discovered that God’s power, passion and peace is greater than mans. But it doesn’t end there we can also trust Him because of His:

• PARDON

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man because of His pardon and forgiveness. There is nothing that compares to His mercy, Psalm 103:8-13 reminds us of His compassion, that He is abounding in love and that the Lord will not keep His anger against us forever . Unlike our fellow man God does not punish us according to what we deserve but is merciful towards us. Even when we are afflicted because of our own rebellious ways He is still merciful to deliver those who cry out to Him, Psalm 107:17-21. This is in sharp contrast to the “I told you so” kind of mercy we often hear from others when we mess up. Man often does not forgive us or show much mercy to us when we fail. When David sinned he said that he preferred to fall into the hands of God rather than into the hands of men, 2 Samuel 24:10-14. Man may not rescue us when we suffer because of our mistakes but God will because His mercies are very great. Who do you trust to pardon you when you mess up? Do you need to experience the freedom of forgiveness do you need to rest in the reality of 1 John 1:9 that you can be pardoned?

•  PROMISES

We often fail to keep our promises, where we fail to follow through the Lord can be trusted because He is faithful to fulfill His promises. When it comes to man’s promises we are prone to changing our mind or even lying and denying that the promises were ever make. Numbers 23:19-23 reminds us that God is not a man that will fail to keep His word. Unlike our words which are often hollow and empty the words which come from the mouth of God will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which they are sent, Isaiah 55:11. Not only are His words rich and full but they are also enduring, Mark 13:31 says Heaven and earth will pass away but His words will never pass away. Are you tired of broken promises do you want to put your trust in one whose word is trustworthy?

•  PROMOTION

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man because God brings purpose and promotion in our lives. God lifts us up when we humble ourselves before Him, James 4:10. We all desire to be recognized and we like to look to man for that pat on the back and that nod of recognition.  But man’s capacity to lift us up is limited to his own ability and ambition. The hand of man may lift us up in sympathy when we are in a needy state but that same hand may pull us down in jealousy when we are in a prosperous state. Man will eventually fail to lift us up because at some point his ambition will always get in the way of his compassion, he will not want us to rise higher than himself. In contrast the Lord desires to lift us up, how high you ask, Ephesians 2:6 says high enough to be seated in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus. Jesus in contrast to man is not jealous and has promised that those who believe in Him shall do even greater works than Him John 14:12. The Lord is the one who brings true and lasting promotion in our lives, but we must humble ourselves and be submitted under His mighty Hand and He will lift us up in due time I Peter 5:6. Are you tired of trying to climb the ladder, is your effort being spent on trying to be recognized? Will you look to God to promote you? Is it time to put your trust in Him?

• PRESENCE

Have you ever really needed someone to be there for you and they were not? Have you ever experienced the desperately deep loneliness and alienation that comes from being left alone?  Man’s ability to be there, to actually show up and walk through anything with us is sketchy at best.  God tells us that His presence is both constant Hebrews 13:5-6 “I will never leave you nor forsake you” and enduring Matthew 28:20 “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Even when we are unaware of His presence He is there because He will neither slumber nor sleep, Psalm 121:4-5. No person can be alert and with us all the time even if they want to be but God will be with us at all times and through all situations. His presence is not that of a fair weather friend who is there as long as all is well. Instead He will be with us in times of joy, sorrow, celebration, loneliness, disappointment, fulfillment, prosperity, poverty, health, sickness, you name the situation and He is still there. Are you tired of going it alone, of thinking someone will be there for you only to be left alone? Is it time to trade your loneliness and disappointment for the one whose presence is both comforting and constant?