2 Chronicles 19-20 / Romans 10:14-11:12 / Psalm 21 / Proverbs 20:4-6
All of us have felt at times that we are fighting battles we just can’t win. We’re at a loss as to how we got where we are. Something has gone wrong, but we don’t know what. We may get angry, be confused, be sad or sorrowful. We may try to fix the problem for ourselves only to end up making things worse. That’s why I am learning to ask God’s input for every situation in my life. I need His help!
In today’s reading the tribe of Judah and her king Jehoshaphat find themselves being attacked by three nations – the Moabites, the Ammonites and some of the Meunites. The first thing Jehoshaphat did was inquire of the LORD, proclaiming a fast among the people of Judah. Then Jehoshaphat prayed to God in front of all Judah. The verses below tell a small portion of the process.
2 Chronicles 20:12b We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Then the Lord responded in verse 15 through Jahaiel, a descendant of the Levites and said, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
When the king didn’t know what to do, He knew that he should keep his eyes on God. And we must do the same when we’re unsure of what to do. No matter how we got into the situation we find ourselves in, God has a solution. Not only does God have a solution, He knows what our response should be. Do we pray, fight, or stand still and allow God to fight on our behalf?
There are many other options the Lord may direct us toward, so listening is important. Sometimes we’ll hear an answer right away, and sometimes we will need to patiently wait for God’s response. Waiting for His response will give us the best possible outcome for the problem we’re facing so be sure not to jump ahead of hearing His voice.
The Lord answered the prayers and worked it out so that Jehoshaphat and his army didn’t even have to fight. Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:21)
As these men sang, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:22)By the time the armies of Judah arrived to the battlefield, the enemy had killed one another and all that was left to do was collect the plunder. Amazing!
Although the following verse from Psalm 21 is referring to a different set of circumstances from King David’s day, I found the words appropriate for how Jehoshaphat probably felt after the Lord delivered Judah from their enemies.
Psalm 21:1 The king rejoices in your strength, LORD. How great is his joy in the victories you give! Verse 7 For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
And, Lord, we rejoice in Your strength! We are grateful that you have delivered us from all our enemies. We are grateful that we can come to You and You will provide answers for every situation we face. We give thanks to the Lord for His love endures forever!
