And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)

The Eyes Of The Lord Are Seeking

Twenty years after the death of King Solomon, his great-grandson Asa became king of Israel, ruling 41 years. The previous two decades were marred with the wicked king’s Rehoboam and Abijam. When Asa ruled the southern tribes, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David. The years were filled with prosperity and a period of restoration to the law of God. There was no war for thirty-five years. During the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah to wage war. Instead of seeking the counsel of the Lord, Asa chose to appeal to Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, with silver and gold from the house of the Lord and the king’s house. He sought a treaty with the Syrians to fight against Israel. Ben-Hadad attacked Israel, causing Baasha to withdraw from his conquest of Judah.

The Lord was displeased with Asa for making a treaty with Ben-Hadad. Hanani the seer came to King Asa, scolding him for not trusting in the Lord’s power to defeat Baasha. The prophet reminded Asa how God had delivered him from the Egyptians and the army of Lubim. At the critical moment of decision, Asa should have sought the Lord’s counsel to fight against Baasha. Hanani reminded the king the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Asa had acted foolishly, and the peace he enjoyed for thirty-five years would end.

God has always desired hearts that are fully committed to Him. He has demanded first place since the beginning of time. When the Jews received the law at Sinai, it began with the declaration that God was why they had escaped Egypt and nothing but His power and might saved them. They were not to put any god or any man before their allegiance to the Lord God Almighty. Anything less than complete devotion was not acceptable. Jesus taught in the mountain message that unless a man seeks first the kingdom of God, there are no blessings. The example of a fully committed heart is the life of Jesus Christ, who willingly sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. The One who had never sinned died to save those who had sinned.

Being fully devoted to the Lord is not a fanatical persuasion without reason. It is a life that is measured with each step examined under the microscope of God’s will. Asa had a big decision to make, and he chooses to ignore the power of God. Life is filled with big decisions that must be gauged by what God would desire for the individual or the selfish desires of self. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, seeking hearts that are loyal to Him. God wants to see His people dedicated to Him in every part of their life. They should not allow the pressures of the world to decide how they live. The Christian walk is a cross-bearing journey guided by the word of the Lord, the Good Shepherd.

There are many decisions to make in life that must be measured by the will of the Lord. When a young man and woman decide to marry, their first thoughts may be because of their love for one another. What must come first is whether this individual will help me or hinder my journey to eternal life. Marrying someone simply because of their beauty is like buying a house because of the paint. What is important is what is on the inside. That is who God is seeking. When a career is being considered, few put at the top of the list whether their jobs will glorify God or dishonor His name by the nature of the work schedule, influences, and conflicts with the word of God. Asking what God thinks of the job decision is seldom considered and should be the first thing to think about. If a young man is very talented in a sport that takes him to the highest peaks of his athleticism, will he deny the Lord to play sports on the day when he should be worshipping God? So many make decisions without consulting God first.

The church needs souls whose hearts are found by the eyes of the Lord as fully committed to Him. Families that center their marriages and parenting with God-first principles will be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. Young people who choose careers that give glory to God will find the pleasure of the eyes of God. When life is molded in a spiritual world of the word of God, the example to others will let the light of Christ shine in a dark world. Neighbors will come to Christ by the example of men and women entirely devoted to the Lord. Friends will understand the seriousness of how much the Christian loves the Lord and is dedicated to the kingdom of God. It takes fully committed hearts. The eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the earth. What does He see in your life?