READING: 2 Chronicles 20-23, Acts 7:1-16
Let me tell you upfront what I’m doing with the devotion today. Second Chronicles 20 includes one of the Bible’s stories that most challenges me—and it’s particularly a story that I need to read, meditate on, devour, and believe again today. So, I’m re-using the devotion on this text from a few years ago.
Second Chronicles 20:12 is one of my favorite verses in the Old Testament. King Jehoshaphat and his people faced three armies allied against them. To his credit, the king called the people to fasting and prayer. The people in response rightly “gathered to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 20:4), and Jehoshaphat led the way in praying.
It’s the latter part of his prayer that has caught my attention for many years now. The king was overwhelmed by the reality of the battle, and he confessed that he did not know what to do. In that honest confession, however, he spoke words that have guided my praying ever since I first read this text: “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12). When we feel powerless against the enemies of the world, and when we simply don’t know what to do, we actually do know what to do: lock on our eyes on God and keep them there. We cannot go wrong when we look to Him.
My problem is that too often I first look to myself for strength and guidance. I will seek God, but sometimes I do so only after I’ve figured out that I can’t fix the problem. The circumstances force me to look to God, rather than my first looking to Him. You would think I would know better by now.
I am, though, still learning to trust God.
PRAYER: “God, I’m putting my eyes on You alone today. Help me to keep them there.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 2 Chronicles 24-26, Acts 7:17-50