Friday, June 13, 2008

boldness

 
My wife and I went to see the Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian movie.  It was very good.  The movie was a little slow in the beginning, but the spiritual truths are so powerful.  The most outstanding scene to me was when Lucy is standing at the end of a wooden bridge in bold opposition to a huge army.  She was not bold because of her confidence in herself but only confidence in Aslan with whom she was standing.  It was such a moving picture of how helpless we are but how bold we can be when we know Christ closely.
 
Similarly, King Asa (son of Abijah, son of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, Son of David) ruled in Judah with a good heart.  He desired to seek God, and he made some very bold statements and actions that demonstrated his reliance on Yahweh.  I think these verses in 2 Chronicles 14 provide a very similar picture to the battle scene in Narnia:
 9 Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
 11 Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you."
 12 The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the LORD and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder.
Consequently, Asa was able to lead Judah in a revival of dedication to the Lord:
10 They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. 11 At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. 12 They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. 13 All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. 14 They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. 15 All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that I would seek you and know you.  I pray that I will search for you and love you with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  Lord, please lead me in your path of righteousness for your namesake.  Father, I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.  Lord, please lead me to be bold because of my closeness to you and especially humble so that I can be close to you.  Lord, I ask that you deliver me from the enemy and win the victory.  I praise you because you are able and willing.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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