2 Chronicles 15-16, John 12:27-50 • Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 15:4
Some people fastidiously maintain their vehicles, doing all the right things on schedule. They
change the oil every 3,000 miles, rotate the tires and check the brake pads. They even follow the
inspection guide in their owner’s manual, going to the dealership at the prescribed
times—“mileage milestones” for preventative car care.
The rest of us wait for the check engine light to come on. There’s nothing like the red glow on
the dashboard to encourage us to build our relationship with a mechanic! And we wince when
asked, “When was the last time you . . . ?” Our typical answer is, “I was meaning to take care of
that just the other day.”
When something goes wrong, we seek help; when things are fine, we don’t. We may live that
way in regard to our cars, but we should not in our relationship with the Lord.
When Asa was king of Judah, the prophet told him, “The Lord is with you when you are with
him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you”
(15:2). That is plain enough—but ignored. It was “‘in their distress [that] they turned to the
Lord’” (v, 4).
Sadly, we are more prone to turn to the Lord in a time of distress than any other time. God
desires that we always look to Him, in good times and in bad, as well as all times in between. If
today is a day of distress for you, turn to Him. He will not reject you. Then, make it the habit of
your life. Don’t wait for the “check engine light” to come on first.
If you have an urgent needy pray about it right now. And if there is nothing pressing, pray right
now that God would help you always to turn to Him whatever the day might bring.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in