Thoughts at Midnight

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

“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

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.

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)