Tired
There were three stages that my husband would go through to fall asleep, and all of them involved him denying that he was sleepy, so it is no wonder that I have to struggle with his daughter, who also lives in a state of denial about her fatigue. Of all the things to fight off or be ashamed of...sleep. Sleep is God's gift to adults but an apparent punishment for children. If only they knew how much they would long for a nap one day.
Unsurprisingly, it is a challenge to keep my daughter's bedtime every night. “Why do I need to go to sleep?” she asks, bouncing off the walls. Once again, last night, she asked, “Why do I need to go to sleep?” This time, I do not answer. I would answer, just not now. “Charlotte Penelope, get up!” I yelled seven hours later, throwing a sqishmallow at her head. “For the eighth time, GET UP! And by the way…THIS is why you need to go to sleep!”
I have never understood God more than since becoming a parent. I get it. No wonder God gives us free will because forcing someone's will, making them do something they do not want to do, is exhausting. As a parent, you look at your child, observe their behavior, and you can see the future! You can see them riding down the hill on a scooter, with a doll baby in one hand and a terrified puppy in the other. You know how that ends, so you warn them to stop. They do not listen. They submit to their human nature and do what they want to do. You head towards the bathroom to get the first aid kit because you know what is coming. You are tired. It is hard to force someone's will; it is much better when they just want to do the right thing.
Asa was the king of Judah. He was a good king, much like his great, great grandfather David. Asa was humble, he was righteous, and like David, Asa had no problem calling on his Heavenly Father for help, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who 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 our God; do not let man prevail against You” (2 Chronicles 14:10-11). An army of one million Ethiopians surrounded Judah. There was no way to victory except through the power of Almighty God. Asa called on the LORD, and indeed, He fought on behalf of Judah. God destroyed Judah’s enemies so severely that even the other nations around them were afraid. Judah had defeated their enemy, taken away an abundance of spoil, and gained a reputation any nation would covet.
It is easy to get a big head when you triumph over an enemy. It would not be foreign to God’s people to experience a victory, take it for granted, and turn against the God who made it all possible. God sent the prophet Azariah to ensure that did not happen to Asa and the people of Judah. “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2). While Judah was experiencing this particular victory, Israel was in a bad state of affairs. They once again rejected God to do their own will (Judges 21:25). How tired God must have been of being rejected by His own children. Would Asa and Judah follow Israel's bad example, or would they listen to the prophet Azariah and do the right thing?
“And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy…he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land …and he restored the altar of the LORD…” (2 Chronicles 15:8-9). It turns out that there are people that heed God’s Word. There are people who God does not have to force into obedience. Some people just want to honor the LORD and do the right thing. Asa was one of these people. His obedience to God earned him the respect of the godly people in Israel. They gathered with Asa and all the people of Judah and made a covenant recommitting to God. They promised to seek Him with all their heart and soul, and God gave them peace (10-15).
Is God tired of you? Is God exhausted from telling you the right thing to do, only to be rejected by you at every turn? Or, are you like Asa, a rare breed, a diamond in the rough? Are you someone who will heed the Word of God and act in obedience? Are you the type of child of God who so boldly follows the LORD that you attract other people, and they want to do the same? God was pleased with the life of His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ; He said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). When God looks at your life, is He pleased or is He tired?
