A Big Something is Really a Nothing

“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.” (2Ch 14:11 AV)

Asa was not exactly walking with God when he prayed this prayer.  Not perfectly and with a whole heart.  There was idol worship going on in the private homes of the citizens of Judah and Benjamin.  Surrounded by an enemy, Asa did what he knew to do.  He appealed to God’s grace and mercy.  Something to remember that is easy to forget:  it is not grace or mercy if we have earned it.  What we want to see is something that Asa declared which is the truth we always forget.  “It is nothing with thee to help.”  In other words, whatever our need may be, to God, it would not strain His omnipotent one iota to assist in our time of need.  To us, it might be as big as the universe.  To the LORD, it is nothing.  Therefore, we plead on the basis of His mercy and grace, not on the basis of His omnipotence.

It is often a difficult thing for someone raised to believe that God’s grace is meritorious to believe that true grace cannot be meritorious.  We struggle with presumption.  We do not want to ask for God’s grace and mercy because deep down inside, we know we do not deserve it and we do not wish to presume upon it.  That is a good thing.  But the nature of mercy and grace requires that we presume upon it.  Not before we make the choices that require God’s intervening grace and mercy.  That would be wicked presumption.  Yet, when we pray and seek God’s mercy and brace because we are in a fix of our own making, faith requires that we presume upon God’s grace.  Not because we have earned it, but rather, because we stand in need of a God who is greater than all our sin.

Asa knew that for God to help would be but a little thing to him.  Repentance was the manifestation of that faith that God would grant him the mercy and grace which he sought.  If we truly believe in God’s goodness, then it will lead us to repentance.  Not that we may earn the grace and mercy of God, but rather, because we are assured that He will grant it.  Repentance comes because God has promised to be good.  Repentance cannot come because of a result of God’s goodness.  Otherwise we are misled into believing God’s mercy and grace can be earned.  No!  Rather, repentance must come before the mercy and grace are applied.  This is but a small thing to such a great God!