Daily EncouragementSample

This was part of a prophetic exhortation to king Asa through Azariah. It was a word of encouragement to someone already “fully committed to the Lord” (1 Chron. 15:17). He had begun a work of reform and had seen victory over a vast army of Cushites. Strong men as well as weak ones need encouragement, and that for two reasons at least.

Strong men can be tempted to give up. This word and Asa’s response imply that he was facing such a temptation: “When Asa heard these words . . . he took courage” (1 Chron.15:8). He then went on to remove the “detestable idols,” call the people “into a covenant to seek the Lord” and depose the queen mother because of her idolatry.

Strong men can do foolish things. “You have done a foolish thing” Hanani told Asa when he rebuked him for relying on the king of Aram and not on the Lord (2 Chron. 16:7-9). Regrettably he persisted in his folly, angrily imprisoning Hanani, oppressing some of the people and in his illness seeking help only from physicians and not from the Lord (2 Chron. 16:10-12). Had Asa benefited fully from the word given through Azariah, he would not have needed Hanani’s rebuke.