Stop Trying To Be Reasonable

At that time King Ahaz of Judah asked the king of Assyria for help. [2 Chronicles 28.16] 

King Ahaz's request of the king of Assyria was a reasonable move. Certainly, Judah was in a tight spot and needed help:

The armies of Edom had again invaded Judah and taken captives. And the Philistines had raided towns located in the foothills of Judah and in the Negev of Judah. They had already captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. [2 Chronicles 28.17-18]

Reason, however, is never a good platform upon which to stand when it involves trusting anything other than, or in addition to, God. It never has been and it never will be.

Anything man trusts in other than, or in addition to, God, is an idol.

In today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, we have several dynasties documented of both Israel and Judah. The subject passage above occurred in the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. Ahaz's call upon the king of Assyria was indeed an act of trusting anything other than, or in addition to, God. What followed describes idolatry perfectly.

So when King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him. Ahaz took valuable items from the LORD’s Temple, the royal palace, and from the homes of his officials and gave them to the king of Assyria as tribute. But this did not help him. [2 Chronicles 28.20-21]

Later in time, in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, after wicked Ahaz's reign and into the reign of mostly righteous Uzziah, we have the prophecy of Hosea against Israel that provides a telling comparison to Judah:

Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the LORD said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’—for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. But I will show love to the people of Judah. I will free them from their enemies—not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the LORD their God.” [Hosea 1.6-7]

God was telling Hosea that Israel, during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, was acting like a prostitute while Judah (ruled by Uzziah) was remaining faithful to God and was therefore shown love by God. What that love shown by God looked like is where we need to pay attention!

God Himself said to Hosea: I will show love to the people of Judah. I will free them from their enemies—not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the LORD their God.

The benefit of trusting God meant that Judah did not have to even resort to the conventional (reasonable) weapons of warfare!

Now, contrast the statement above with the fact that Ahaz called upon Assyria for help. Ahaz's misplaced faith in Assyria was an affront to God. 

GOD NEITHER NEEDS NOR WANTS MAN'S HELP!

God wants man to trust Him implicitly. 

So, back to the perfect description of idolatry mentioned above... The very "idol" Ahaz trusted to remedy his woes became a tribute-imposing captor. This is precisely what man's "helpful industries" (idols) of debt, insurance, medicine and technology ALL DO! Their "benefit" comes with tribute-imposing captivity - all for the sake of providing what God says He alone reserves the right to provide for His people. Man reasonably pays money for the reasonable benefits of these reasonable industries while God irrationally promises His power will provide those benefits without assistance—not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the LORD their God. God's power is incalculable, let alone irrational.

The story of the Bible is God's desire for man to unquestionably trust Him ALONE. By "Bible" I mean the ENTIRE Bible. Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) was naturally no less demanding of man's unquestioning trust:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

"Religion about God" is man's response to God with reasonable "faith" mixed with the fear of death (loss, etc.). In contrast, "Relationship with God" is man's response to God with irrational faith and zero fear of death (loss, etc.). 

The Bible confirms this whether we think it's reasonable or not.

How we should respond to God and His Word then is modeled perfectly by Hezekiah:

Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan. Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute. He also conquered the Philistines as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city. [2 Kings 18.1-8]

Like Hezekiah, and as directed in the words of John, 

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. [1 John 5.21 NKJV]

Religion will tell us, "be reasonable." But, if we are to have a relationship with God that is anywhere close to Biblical (and pleasing to God), we will intentionally rid ourselves of idols and follow Jesus with no concern for the "life" everyone else is so fearful to maintain.

Father, Your Word could not be clearer. You fully expect that I give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Jesus. May I stop trying to be reasonable. So be it.