2It was told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Edom; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi. 3Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah. – 2 Chronicles 20: 2-3
Tsunamis are gigantic waves that destroy everything in their path. They obliterate buildings and cities as though they were made of paper. Few things can withstand their power. Such are the things of life. We encounter colossal storms that wreck havoc on your psyche. They tear down our esteem, and fill our souls with debris. We are left ravaged but not without hope.
King Jehoshaphat knew what that felt like. Can you imagine an army of hundreds of thousands coming against you? Can you imagine the fear that punches you in the gut when you weigh your situation? The bible says that the King was afraid and rightfully so. It also says that he sought the Lord as though his life depended on it—probably because it did.
Many of us do not seek the Lord when things seem like they are at their worst because we do not believe our life depends on it. There is still some small part of us that believes we can handle or manage it on our own. WRONG!
Our personal wisdom and insights will only take us so far before we crash and burn. Our livelihood of peace, joy and faith depend on our relationship with God. We need to pursue Him as often as possible. His ways and thoughts far surpass ours. King Jehoshaphat understood this. When His enemies decided they would all attack Him, he had to know what his strategy should be. Should he leave? Should he stay? Should he fight?
A tailor-made strategy from God for your situation is precisely what you need. You need to know what direction to go in, when to do it and how to do it? The only way to obtain that is by seeking the Father. When we look further down in the passage, we see that Jehoshaphat received his answer from the Lord.
The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.16Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.
The King did not have to fight. He did not have to leave. He simply had to worship. Matsuri is the worship of the living God. Because he worshipped, God said the battle would be His.
Tsunamis are gigantic waves that destroy everything in their path. They obliterate buildings and cities as though they were made of paper. Few things can withstand their power. Such are the things of life. We encounter colossal storms that wreck havoc on your psyche. They tear down our esteem, and fill our souls with debris. We are left ravaged but not without hope.
King Jehoshaphat knew what that felt like. Can you imagine an army of hundreds of thousands coming against you? Can you imagine the fear that punches you in the gut when you weigh your situation? The bible says that the King was afraid and rightfully so. It also says that he sought the Lord as though his life depended on it—probably because it did.
Many of us do not seek the Lord when things seem like they are at their worst because we do not believe our life depends on it. There is still some small part of us that believes we can handle or manage it on our own. WRONG!
Our personal wisdom and insights will only take us so far before we crash and burn. Our livelihood of peace, joy and faith depend on our relationship with God. We need to pursue Him as often as possible. His ways and thoughts far surpass ours. King Jehoshaphat understood this. When His enemies decided they would all attack Him, he had to know what his strategy should be. Should he leave? Should he stay? Should he fight?
A tailor-made strategy from God for your situation is precisely what you need. You need to know what direction to go in, when to do it and how to do it? The only way to obtain that is by seeking the Father. When we look further down in the passage, we see that Jehoshaphat received his answer from the Lord.
The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.16Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.
The King did not have to fight. He did not have to leave. He simply had to worship. Matsuri is the worship of the living God. Because he worshipped, God said the battle would be His.
©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved
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