1 Kings 15:11-16 - Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord

15:11-15

“Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”. A key question for all of us is how we look at ourselves, do we judge ourselves by how others view us, or by how the Lord views us?  Asa was somewhat like David. He took positive action, like expelling the male shrine prostitutes and getting rid of the idols. He even deposed his grandmother Maakah. This latter action is an example of loving God more than family members. He did this because “she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. However, Asa did not remove the high places. He was not the only “good king” to have this failure. The high places were like stubborn weeds. The best thing is not to let them take root in the first place. “Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life”. Even so he had these failings.

15:16

There was continual war between ISrael and Judah. Asa brought the treasures into the temple of the Lord. However, he then used some of the treasures to bribe the king of Damascus, and he wanted to stop Syria supporting Baasha. Asa was seeking to use his own wisdom to bring peace, rather than trusting the Lord.