2 Chronicles 20:1-12: a reflection

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.”

When a vast army comes against Jehoshaphat, and he is alarmed and outmatched, he does the wisest thing: he seeks the LORD, proclaims a fast, and gathers the people to pray. And his prayer ends with a striking confession of helplessness and trust: 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. He does not pretend to have the strength or the answer; he confesses that he is helpless and does not know what to do, and fixes his eyes on God.

Notice Jehoshaphat's response to being helpless and at a loss: he fixed his eyes on God. He did not pretend to have the power to meet the threat, or the wisdom to know what to do; he confessed plainly, we have no might, we don't know what to do. But he did not despair; he turned his eyes to God: but our eyes are on you. In his helplessness and confusion, he looked to God, trusting him where his own power and wisdom failed. His confession of helplessness became the ground of his trust: since he had no might and no answer, he fixed his eyes on God, who did.

That response is worth taking to heart, for we too come to situations where we are helpless and do not know what to do, and are called to fix our eyes on God. When we face something beyond our power, where we have no strength to meet it and no idea what to do, we can despair, or scramble in our own inadequate strength; but Jehoshaphat, helpless and at a loss, fixed his eyes on God. When you are helpless and do not know what to do, do not despair or rely on your own inadequate strength; fix your eyes on God, as Jehoshaphat did, saying, we have no might, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you. Let your very helplessness turn your eyes to God, who has the power and the wisdom you lack, as Jehoshaphat, outmatched and at a loss, looked to God rather than to himself; for when we have no might and no answer, the wisest thing is to fix our eyes on God.

Lord, when a vast army comes against Jehoshaphat, and he is alarmed and outmatched, he does the wisest thing: he seeks you, proclaims a fast, and gathers the people to pray. And his prayer ends with a striking confession of helplessness and trust: 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. He does not pretend to have the strength or the answer; he confesses that he is helpless, and fixes his eyes on you. Show me Jehoshaphat's response to being helpless and at a loss: he fixed his eyes on you. He did not pretend to have the power to meet the threat, or the wisdom to know what to do; he confessed plainly, we have no might, we don't know what to do. But he did not despair; he turned his eyes to you. In his helplessness and confusion, he looked to you, trusting you where his own power and wisdom failed. His confession of helplessness became the ground of his trust. Take that response to my heart, for I too come to situations where I am helpless and do not know what to do, and am called to fix my eyes on you. When I face something beyond my power, I can despair, or scramble in my own inadequate strength; but Jehoshaphat fixed his eyes on you. When I am helpless and do not know what to do, keep me from despairing or relying on my own inadequate strength; help me fix my eyes on you, Lord, as Jehoshaphat did, saying, we have no might, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on you.