II Chronicles 24  Joash was 7 years old when he was made king.  Most of his family had been killed in horrible ways.  His own grandmother was responsible for the death of his siblings.  Only his aunt and uncle remained.  They rescued him, raised him, mentored him, and helped him to become a good king. 

"And Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest."  His most important work was to restore the temple.  But... when Jehoiada died.. Joash listened to the wrong voices. "And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Ashram and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for their guilt." ( v18) 

Joash even went so far as to kill Jehoiada's son, Zechariah,  who brought a warning to them.."Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you." ( v20) Zechariah would have been like a brother to Joash. What happened to cause Joash to fall so low?

Aram came back to fight again. They destroyed "all the officials of the people from among the people.." Because of Judah's actions.. forsaking the Lord.. they were delivered over to the enemy.  Joash was killed by his own servants, and his son Amaziah was made king in his place. 

To forsake.. the Hebrew word is azab - to loosen, relinquish, permit.. refuse.. leave..  I am reminded of the Lord Jesus' words in John 15 - "Abide in Me" - stay.. endure.. be present.. be in relationship with Me.  Jesus tells us that it is in the abiding that we bear fruit; it is in the abiding that we can do anything at all; it is in abiding in Him that the Father is glorified.  

We do not know what happened to Joash that made him change from abiding to forsaking the Lord. But, we need to heed this lesson.  It is in abiding in Jesus that we find joy.. hope.. peace.. and love. It is by forsaking Him that we find destruction. 

Father, help us to constantly abide in Jesus. May we never, no never forsake You. Strengthen our inner beings to keep clinging and to stay in right relationship with our precious Savior. Hold us close and fill our hearts with Your love and grace, by the power of Your Spirit in us, so that we might bear much fruit to the glory of Your Name. This is what we ask.. in Jesus' name. Amen.