“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (2Ch 16:9 AV)

Something happened to Asa.  As he aged, he changed.  The Asa of younger years took on Jeroboam being disadvantaged 2:1.  They met in the hills of Ephraim with 400,000 on Asa’s side against 800,000 to Israel’s side.  While Asa stood upon the hills communing with the armies of the north, encouraging them to surrender to a much lesser army, Jeroboam surrounded him.  Caught by and ambushment, Asa cried out to the LORD and the LORD delivered to the tune of killing 500,000 of the Israelites.  A great battle to be sure.  But something happened.  Israel made a league with Syria.  Syria came and fortified the border city of Ramah.  Asa, believing he was severely threatened by the assistance Syria brought to Israel, he paid them off to turn on Israel.  Asa did not seek the LORD has he did in his younger years.  This is the cause for the above prophecy.  From that day forward, Asa would have trouble because he did not trust in the LORD for every battle.  The next few verses also tell the tale of Asa refusing to trust the LORD for his diseased feet and instead, turned to all the physicians.

The point to be made is this.  As Asa aged, his boldness to trust the LORD lessened.  It should have been just the opposite.  But in our nature, it isn’t.  Something happens to us as we age.  There is a time when fear begins to grow.  We forget all the lessons which life taught us.  We forget how the LORD met us time and again to provide miracles greater than the ones we need in our later years.  We forget all the great preaching and all the great meetings.  We forget all the battles won over the Devil himself.  We forget all that and seek to find our own answers.  We react too quickly and seeking the face of the LORD first becomes something of the past. This is foolishness.  No matter how old we get, seeking the LORD first, before we turn to other helpers is what the LORD desires!  He is still God.  He is the same God as he was thirty, forty, or fifty years ago as He is today.  The same yesterday, today, and forever!