Rely Upon the Lord

Godly King Abijah went to battle against Jeroboam, Israel’s idolatrous king. Abijah was outnumbered two to one. He actually had the majority, as he confessed: “Behold, God himself is with us” (2 Chron. 13:12). As the battle commenced, Jeroboam’s forces surrounded Abijah’s. The men of Judah shouted to the Lord. Then, “God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah” (v. 15).

                Asa was Abijah’s son and in the first part of his life followed his father’s faith. When a million man army came up against Jerusalem, “Asa cried to the Lord his God…Lord, it is nothing with you to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, you are God; let not man prevail against you” (2 Chron. 14:11).

                Abijah and Asa teach us what it is to rely upon the Lord. First, we rely upon the Lord when we trust him to be true to himself and to us. “God is with us.” “O Lord, we rest on you.” God has spoken. His word is true. He cannot lie. He who never breaks a promise can be relied upon implicitly. Relying upon the Lord always begins with faith – trusting him, his promises, his faithfulness.

Second, we can rely upon the Lord only in the path of duty. We have no assurance that the Lord will hear or help us if we are disobeying him or if we want him to make a sinful path less sinful or less painful. If we are endeavoring to obey his word, he has already given us grace (Tit. 2:12)! Therefore, we can expect him to complete his good work in us (Phil. 1:6) and give us the help we need.

                Third, Abijah and Asa relied upon the Lord, so they prayed. Reliance on the Lord is revealed chiefly by calling upon the Lord. If we are not praying, we are not relying upon him, but ourselves. If we do not watch and pray, as our Savior taught us, a fall is coming (Matt. 26:41), especially if we know the Lord. He teaches all his children this same lesson. “Call upon me in the day of trouble” (Ps. 50:15; 86:7).

                Fourth, these kings relied upon the Lord their God. Too little we remember that the Lord has covenanted with us to be our God and sealed that covenant with the precious blood of his Son! The Lord can save with many or with few – a pitched battle against the Philistines led by David’s army or Jonathan singlehandedly defeating a garrison. The Lord is the strength of his people. And, Asa prayed: “O Lord, you are God.” What a great prayer – simple, honest, covenantal! He is the Lord, the covenant keeping God. He keeps his promises. We must remind ourselves of the great history of his faithfulness. Because he has graciously taken us to be his people, he will not fail us!

                Fifth, reliance upon the Lord is marked by turning to him with a right sense of our great need and weakness. Abijah and Asa had great armies with them, but they knew it was not enough to win the battle. They were opposed by overwhelming forces, but they did not run away – they drew near to the Lord. They called upon the Lord to fight for them. They cast their burden upon the Lord and left the outcome in his faithful hands. Real relying upon the Lord comes before him with no other hope but his help, no other assurance but his promise, and with confidence in his faithfulness.

                Now that the Son of God has come, we have even more reason to rely upon the Lord. He has all fullness for every season of life, every decision, temptation, every trouble. He has endured all temptations, sorrows, and horrors for our sake. We are complete in him. Whatever we need, He has it fully! He is the living water, and he invites us to draw from him for forgiveness, guidance, help, hope, companionship, joy, peace. He is our heavenly Intercessor, who prays for us that our faith will not fail. He is our life and shares his life with us as we live by faith in him (Gal. 2:20).