In The Storm.

Are you in one of those places today where you just don’t know what to do.

Sometimes life can seem such a muddle and you feel as though everything is going against you. You may not know which way to turn or what to do for the best.

This is how king Jehoshaphat felt when he heard of the Moabites and Ammonites and others coming against them. He had nowhere to turn but to God and he prayed…

‘neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.’

Are our eyes fixed on God in our troubles however big or small or are we trying to work things out for ourselves?

How often do we wait until our troubles are overwhelming before we turn to God in real earnest wrestling prayer over them?

I don’t know about you but with the daily little niggles in life, I often tend to just sort them out. Sometimes I’ll pray but just as often I’ll do this or say that to solve a problem when really my heart should be lifted immediately up to God in prayer. Other times I may pray about a certain matter quite often but there’s not that urgency or fervency until these trouble feel too big to manage.

Ever since Adam and Eve chose their own way in the garden man has tried to manage alone and it’s only as God opens our eyes and works in our hearts that we truly begin to realise that like a baby with its mother, our whole dependence needs to be fixed on our Heavenly Father.

Do you, like me, find your old nature struggling for independence?

How I long to live in that place where I really do ‘pray without ceasing’, where, even in the middle of busy family life, my heart is repeatedly looking up in an attitude of real earnest prayer. Where I’m always leaning on and trusting in my God.

I love the account in 2 Chro 20 that I mentioned. Jehoshaphat’s case seemed impossible but he didn’t give up and he didn’t plan and scheme, he took it to the LORD his God in earnest prayer.

All of Judah and Jerusalem gathered together and Jehoshaphat prayed.

It’s interesting to see how he prayed. He didn’t just jump straight in with his troubles first, just as Jesus taught us to pray in Matt 6 (hallowed be thy name). Jehoshaphat prayed,

‘art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee.

Next he recounts the ways that God has been faithful to them in the past and how, as a nation, they would cry unto Him in their need.

It’s only after this that Jehoshaphat pours out his troubles.

He tells God how weak they are, how they cannot fight against this great army and gives it all to the Lord with the words…

‘neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.’

Are your eyes fixed on a loving and mighty God in your troubles?

Just as Jehoshaphat and all Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives and children, are we standing before our God in earnest, fervent prayer?

What does the Lord reply?

‘Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’

Ah, friend, you are not alone in this hard place, you may feel as though you’re surrounded on every side with worries and troubles and problems that seem to have no solution but God knows, God cares and God is in control.

‘The battle is not yours but God’s’.

‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.’

for the LORD will be with you.’

What happened next is so beautiful. Jehoshaphat chose singers and they sang, praising the beauty and holiness of God.

Are we praising God in the middle of the storm?

Are we singing praises when we are overwhelmed by the troubles surrounding us?

It’s easy to praise God when things are going well, it’s easy to praise God when He appears for us in our troubles but are we praising God when troubles threaten or in the middle of the storm?

What happened as Judah sang praises in their distress?

When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against their enemies and defeated them.

Dear friends, whatever we are facing today, however fierce the storm may be let’s pour out our hearts to God in both prayer and praise because….

‘The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.’

Let’s fight our battles in prayer and praise friends!

In love,

Sharon x