I usually don’t have trouble falling asleep, but last night I woke up before the
midnight hour and was contemplating all the that was going on with the
coronavirus and its impact on our country and on my family. Our lives have been changed, seemingly
overnight, as if some foreign power had invaded our land and turned it upside
down. Now, when the activities of
tomorrow used to seem somewhat in our control, now not so much. We don’t know how long this will last, and
what that means to our lives going forward and the plans that we have made or
have been making. With two high school
seniors and two juniors in the household – plus the changes occurring at my job
– uncertainty abounds!
So God brought me to 2 Chronicles 20:10
Jehoshaphat, Judah’s king, faced not only uncertain times,
but scary times. The Moabites and the
Ammonites, among others were staring them down in battle. Judah was outnumbered. These nations should have been destroyed long
ago, probably when the Jewish people were beginning to enter the promised land. But they were not – and now here they were on
Judah’s doorstop. I imagine all
activities were cancelled as they contemplated how to handle this crisis, but
all Jehoshaphat could do was to cry out to the Lord and say “We don’t know what
to do.” Therefor he did the only thing
he could do – he focused his eyes upon God so that God could do what only God
can do.
Psalm 147:5
Great
is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
his understanding is beyond measure.
There are
many passages in the Bible that talk about God’s wisdom and knowledge. Although Jehoshaphat did not know what to do –
God did. Although I don’t know what to
do, God does. And I need to look to Him
in these times of uncertainty because as much as I would like to think I can
figure it out, I can’t. Sometimes things
are, as they say, beyond my pay grade. I
think we are living in those times.
God is also
abundant in power. Not only does he know
what to do – but He can do it! He can
get us through this.
2 Chronicles 20:20-22
And they rose early in the morning
and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat
stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the
LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will
succeed.” And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who
were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the
army, and say,
"Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
And when they began to sing and
praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir,
who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.
God came through for
Judah. Against impossible odds – because
well, God is God. He is all-knowing and
able.
Which leads me to this
conclusion -
Ephesians 3:20-22
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
We don’t always have the answers because we don’t have all the knowledge – and even if we did, we don’t have the power to carry it out. But praise God – He does!
Now if I can only act accordingly.
All passages ESV. Shared from PocketBible for Windows Store (http://www.laridian.com)
