For use in corporate or private prayer, and/or family devotions………
Our Scripture passage will be 2 Chronicles 20:1-12:
It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
Then 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, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
Many of us have very difficult challenges– which at times can seem to be insurmountable. In 2 Chronicles Chapter 20, King Jehoshaphat faces what looks to be impending destruction from enemy nations. Overwhelmed with fear and a sense of helplessness, he turns to the only One who can do anything to rescue him and the rest of Israel. And God came through in a mighty way!
God doesn’t tell us ahead of time how He is going to work, or when relief is going to come. And He doesn’t always promise us ease or comfort when we pray during desperate times. But the point of the passage is that God is the One to whom we should always be turning………. at all times, good and bad. Jehoshaphat (at least at this moment of his reign) provides us with a good example of the kind of trust and confidence we need to have in our all-knowing, all-powerful Lord and Savior! His methods and His answers are always perfectly wise, and perfectly timed. Let us pray with confidence!
God bless, Jamie
Christ Our Precious Pearl 