February 17

God Can Make You Strong

But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded. — 2 Chr 15:7 BSB

God had done great things for King Asa and Judah, but they were still a weak people. Their walk with the Lord was unsteady, and their hearts were hesitant, so they needed to be reminded that the Lord would be with them as long as they were with Him, but if they forsook Him, He would leave them. They were also reminded of how poorly the sister kingdom fared in its rebellion and how the Lord showed grace when they repented. The Lord’s purpose was to strengthen them in His way and make them firm in righteousness. This should also be our aim. God deserves to be served with all the energy we have.

If serving God is worth anything, it is worth everything. We will find our greatest reward in the Lord’s work if we do it with determined diligence. Our labor in the Lord is not in vain, and we know this. Halfhearted work will bring no reward, but when we put our whole soul into the cause, we will see prosperity. This text came to the author of these notes during a terrible storm, encouraging him to press on with full strength, confident of reaching the safety of the harbor with a glorious cargo.