God is Good!

Asa was king of Judah (which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) during a time when the Hebrew people were divided. There was a separate group (the other 10 tribes) who were led by the king of Israel. Friction developed between the two kingdoms. They both had a common enemy in Syria. Israel tried to tamper down Judah's movement. Asa went to the King of Syria with money from of the Lord's house and the king's house treasury to get him to help him against Israel. The prophet Hanani then

paid Asa a visit to Asa with some words from God: 

7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.9 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. II Chronicles 16:9

Hanani reminded Asa of God's help in the past. In the conflict between Judah and Israel, Asa should have consulted God for the right solution. He hadn't checked in with God. Asa walked himself right into a position vulnerable to more and more wars as a result. God didn't inflict him, he set it up the dominoes for himself. 

God is all good. He desires the best for people and loves to bless those that follow him and recognize his son Jesus Christ. and the reason he came into existence. In the book of James, it is quite clear that God is good to his people and not evil:

13 Let no man say when he is tempted (challenged to not do right), I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 

Asa chose to do things the way he decided they should be done.  He had started out as a good ruler by taking down the idols in Judah.  In the frictional relationship between Judah and Israel, God had a bird's eye view into the present and future consequences of making deceptive alliances with the enemy. Asa lived during the Old Testament Covenant.  We have greater resources today through Jesus Christ and the gift of the spiritual connection which has given us the tools of walking in God's superabundant power:

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 4:16-17

God loves all people, but he can only help those who want his help. He is not the cause of evil in our lives and we should never blame him for the stuff we may bring on ourselves by accepting deception from other sources. 

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin (of ignoring him), and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

These are not words that we can just plaster all over the internet to warn each other with during this unprecedented time in our own history. We need to take this seriously.  We need God's viewpoint and his wisdom. Only then can we act with complete confidence and be truly happy. This is what being 'woke' should really mean.