2 CHRONICLES 20:5-12 – And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
THEME OF THE DAY: DON’T BE IMPULSIVE. Jehoshaphat was the exception. In a long list of failed kings, he stood out. He followed the Lord and was used to bring about great reforms in the country, even revival. And he experienced trouble and danger.
In today’s scripture, war is brewing on the horizon and the King is afraid but not paralyzed by fear. Yes, this looks bad for God’s people. Yes, the foes from the south, the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir were formidable. And what does the good King do? He prays. Fervently, spiritually, and confidently. Take time and ponder Jehoshaphat’s prayer, paying attention to its God-centeredness and his confident dependency.
Throughout the prayer, we encounter the acknowledgement of God’s sovereign rule and care over all things to include His people. The king remembers God’s past faithfulness in times of trouble. He also reminds the Lord of his commitment, along with those of God’s people, to not compromise, to stay the course with Him through thick and thin. But there is something else very important and is a model for us when we are facing difficulties and temptation to be afraid in tough circumstances.
King Jehoshaphat isn’t sure what to do and when unsure of a course of action, do nothing but submit it to the Lord – For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. The lesson for us? Don’t let fear cause us to take matters into our own hands. Don’t make impulsive decisions. When we are unclear on a decision, don’t try to make it clear. Pray, give it to the Lord, obey what we know to obey, and wait. No matter how long it takes. Wait on the Lord. Too many Christians have made ill-advised and too quick decisions only to regret them, and maybe with life-altering consequences. Follow the king, Remember God’s faithfulness, trust, prayer and then wait. Those are always safe ways to handle any tough situation.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to see that when You place me in situations beyond my control to lean more on You.”
QUOTE: “God takes great delight in His praying people and especially so toward those who do so with confidence”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim