POP QUIZ! Ahaz. What comes to mind? Probably not much. Ahaz was king of Judah during the last days of Israel, reigned from age twenty to age thirty-six, died early at the hand of the enemy, did not do right in the eyes of the Lord.
The Chronicler, as he records the history of Ahaz, condenses sixteen years into four verses. He remembers not one positive thing. Ahaz's brief place in the history book is apparently secured by his evil deeds and failed responsibility. One may wonder, "Did the life of Ahaz matter?"
How does one live a life that matters? One truth appears obvious. A life that matters depends upon doing right. It is not easy thing to do right and to seek God's holy way. How easily we become distracted. We may think a life that matters is measured by length, or by how many people remember. A life that matters is not measured by any standard so worldly.
Life at its longest is brief. Then an epitaph will be written. What do you want written? Ahaz reminds me of one: "He did what was right."