Good day dear friends.
I thank you for your prayers for our grandson, Liam Carlos Vasquez, who's still in the clear as far as his jaundice goes, and I praise God for that. Please continue to lift him up, his mom, Caty as she recovers from delivery, and for dad, Joaquin.
Here is our study guide for today:
In 2 Chronicles 20:1-12 please read the story of man whose road-worthiness reflects a true grounding in the right place. Please read that prayer offered up by this man and reflect on how this ancient prayer might bless you right now.
Here is that text from 2 Chronicles 20:1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; already they are at Hazazon-tamar" (that is, En-gedi). 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the Lord. 5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, "O Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 "If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.' 10 See now, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
Here is that text from 2 Chronicles 20:1 After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; already they are at Hazazon-tamar" (that is, En-gedi). 3 Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the Lord. 5 Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 6 and said, "O Lord, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 "If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.' 10 See now, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy— 11 they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit. 12 O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
"Jumping Jehoshaphat!" was an old exclamation of surprise in this country some years back, usually from the mouth of actor Gabby Hays in his old westerns, and the person in that expression is the "star" of today's text. Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah and on this day mentioned in the passage a great army rose up against him. Rather than jump to conclusions about what to do, he did what we should always do and that is to go to God in prayer. His prayer is mentioned above and it is a prayer of submission. He acknowledges what God only God can do and asks God for help. I love in verse 12 where he says, "For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
For today's devotional thought on our church's prayer line I read directly from the headlines: An out-of-work money manager in California kills his wife, three sons, mother-in-law and then himself. In Ohio a 90 year-old woman shot herself in the stomach as authorities arrived to evict her from her modest home of 38 years. In Massachusetts, a housewife who had hidden their mounting money troubles from her husband, faxed a note to the mortgage company that by the time they foreclosed she would be dead. This woman killed her three beloved cats, then herself, leaving an insurance policy, funeral instructions and a suicide note. And officials fear more of these desperate acts all because of the economy.
Friends, even if we pray the last line of Jehoshaphat's prayer, that is still declaring our faith in God. "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." Never take your eyes off Jesus. Live the life that keeps our eyes on God and walks towards, not away, from Him.
PRAYER: Loving God, You know the needs in my life; You know my worries; and as your son Jehoshaphat said I say as well, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you! Grant me patience, peace, and the hope that only You can. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
