Context No. 2454 of 4322 · 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 20:1-12: in context

1After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 3Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek the LORD. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from the LORD. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD. 5Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the LORD’s house, before the new court; 6and he said, “LORD, the God of our fathers, aren’t you God in heaven? Aren’t you ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in your hand, so that no one is able to withstand you. 7Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever? 8They lived in it, and have built you a sanctuary in it for your name, saying, 9‘If evil comes on us—the sword, judgment, 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 affliction, and you will hear and save.’ 10Now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned away from them, and didn’t destroy them; 11behold, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit. 12Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

A vast coalition of armies is marching on Judah, and King Jehoshaphat is afraid. But his fear drives him the right direction: he sets himself to seek the LORD, proclaims a fast, and gathers the whole nation to pray. His prayer rehearses who God is and ends with a line of total honesty: we have no strength against this great company that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

That last sentence is one of the most usable prayers in Scripture. Jehoshaphat does not pretend to have a plan; he admits he is out of answers. But the admission does not end in panic, because it is followed by where he is looking: our eyes are on you. Helplessness and trust sit together. He does not know the way through, and he says so, and then he fixes his gaze on the only One who does. Not knowing what to do is not the same as having nowhere to look.

When I am overwhelmed and out of answers, can I say honestly that I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on God?

Sources

2 Chronicles 20:12: For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
2 Chronicles 20:3: Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek the LORD. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
Psalm 121:1: I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?