O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help. [2 Chronicles 20:12 (NLT)]
Yosemite Sam, the cartoon arch enemy of Bugs Bunny, used to exclaim “Jumpin’ Jehosophat!” I was an adult before learning that Jehosophat was the fourth king of the southern kingdom of Judah. It’s ironic that the king said to be jumping in Sam’s pseudo-swear is best known for standing still in 2 Chronicles!
Judah had been invaded by the armies of Moab, Ammon, and some of the Meunites. Surprised by the invasion and terrified of their powerful enemies, they turned to God. After ordering a nationwide fast, Jehoshaphat called the people to prayer in the Temple courtyard. Acknowledging God’s power and might, his prayer recalled God’s covenant relationship with His chosen people, admitted they were powerless against such foes, and asked for the nation’s deliverance. A Levite named Jahaziel relayed the Lord’s response. Telling the people not to be afraid, God assured them the battle was His, not theirs, and the battle would be won without any of them lifting a sword. They were to take their battle positions, stand still, and watch the Lord’s victory. Worship and praise followed this amazing pronouncement.
Nevertheless, as enthusiastic as Judah was that day, I wonder how confident they were the following morning when they marched into battle. Would they become easy targets as their army, clearly outnumbered, stood unmoving in front of their formidable foes? Perhaps Jehoshaphat heard some grumbling about this perplexing battle strategy because he stopped and reassured the men, “Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
Jehoshaphat appointed a chorus to walk ahead of the army and sing praises to the Lord: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” As the choir’s voices rose, the Lord caused the armies of Moab and Ammon to turn against the Meunites, after which they attacked one another. By the time Judah’s army arrived, not one of their enemies had survived the melee; all they had to do was pick up the spoils of war. As God promised, the enemy was defeated without Judah lifting a sword.
While we’re not likely to encounter an enemy army, we do encounter difficulties, temptations, and challenges every day. In essence, Jehoshaphat’s prayer was a simple one: “We are powerless, Lord—you must fight for us!” Are we as willing to admit our weakness and turn to God at the outset of trouble or do we wait until we’re in the midst of a losing battle before calling on Him?
The hardest part, however, comes in trusting God’s plan. Jehoshaphat wasn’t the only one to be given an unconventional battle strategy by the Lord—God told Joshua to circle a fortified city for seven days, Gideon to severely limit his army, Amaziah to dismiss the trained mercenaries he’d hired, and David to wait for a sound in the trees before attacking. Yet, it was by trusting God’s inexplicable plan that all were victorious. Let’s face it, God’s way is often contrary to what we’d normally expect—turn the other cheek, love your enemies, bless those that curse you, forgive seventy times seven, and find strength in our weakness. Nevertheless, God’s way must be our way!
Jehoshaphat and his army trusted so much in God’s plan that they thanked Him for victory before the battle began. Their praise came before their victory, not because they thought God would keep his promise but because they knew He would! The previous day, the moment God said the battle was His, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites were vanquished; they just didn’t know it then! Let us march into our daily battles as did the Judeans—trusting God and singing, “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!”
When writing about Nehemiah recently, I thought about waiting. From the time he learned of Jerusalem’s broken-down walls until he spoke to the king, three months passed. Day in and day out, Nehemiah was at the king’s side but remained silent about his concern. Trusting that God would provide the opportune time, Nehemiah patiently waited at the king’s side until God provided the perfect moment when the king inquired about his cupbearer’s sadness. Had I been Nehemiah, would I have trusted God’s timing and kept silent for ninety days? What about you?
When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, over ninety years had passed since the first of the exiled Jews had returned to Judah. Although the temple had been rebuilt for seventy years, Jerusalem’s city walls and gates were still in ruins. Nevertheless, within fifty-two days of his arrival, the walls were reconstructed and new gates installed. That Nehemiah managed to accomplish in less than two months what hadn’t been done in ninety years is a case study in Management 101.
While editing photos, I came to one of a pipevine swallowtail. Seeing it on my computer rather than the camera’s viewfinder, I realized it had seen far better days. Its once beautiful wings were tattered and torn, only one “tail” remained, an antenna was missing, and, with many of its scales gone, its wings were more translucent than iridescent blue. Perhaps it had a close call with a predator, the wind had tossed it around, or it simply was old. In any case, it was damaged goods and no longer beautiful.
Because the nearby bird sanctuary/swamp gets its water from rainfall, the size of its lakes fluctuates substantially with the seasons. During the dry seasons of winter and spring, the swamp’s lakes gradually recede until the summer rains begin. When this annual dry-down occurs in springtime, the wading birds congregate in the shallow lakes. With the fish having no place to hide the shallow water, it’s as easy as catching fish in a rain barrel for the birds!
