“Our God, will you not judge [our enemies]? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)
When Jehoshaphat found himself facing the imminent attack of a large number of armies, he assessed the situation and realized that his army did not stand a chance. Then Jehoshaphat did what many of us would do in such a situation: he set his face to seek the Lord. It makes sense that he would do that. A likely overthrow was coming, and Jehoshaphat surely didn’t want his nation to come to ruin. Wouldn’t we all do the same?
In our times of desperation we are quick to seek the Lord. But what about when life goes along as usual?
What about when things aren’t going awry and when difficult decisions aren’t being made? The individual who is truly committed to the Lord will not seek Him merely when things are going poorly; the individual who is committed to the Lord will seek Him each and every day. And when the challenges of life rear their nasty heads, a foundation already exists for how to handle the situation. That’s what prompted the Shaker hymn writers when they wrote the following:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
The best time to seek the Lord is when there isn’t a storm even on the horizon. For then, when the storms come, you’ll be prepared for whatever lies ahead.
Father, help me to seek You all of my days. Keep me from waiting until the bottom is about to drop out and things aren’t going well at all to pursue You. Instead, let me find joy in striving to include You in every part of my life. When storms do come, let me be prepared to know that You are always by my side.
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