MEDITATIONS
FROM CHRONICLES
May 14 ,
2008
Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
“Do not be afraid nor dismayed
because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's” 2
Chronicles
I have suggested reading the first thirty verses of this chapter because
it is such a wonderful story and difficult to break in at any given point. Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, a man of God, faced an enemy
whose army was far greater in number than his. When he heard the news of the
coming attack he was afraid so he set about in a panic seeking advice from his
generals. No, “he set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast
throughout all
My soul, how often God has heard your prayer when you turn to Him. There
are times when immediate prayer is necessary and there is no time to go aside
and pray, prayer is needed instantaneously, where you are, no matter what you
are doing. Herein lies one of the major benefits of enjoying a close
relationship with God and being conscious of His presence with you at all
times. O God, I need your help! Like the cry of Peter,
“But when he saw that the wind was
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying,
"Lord, save me!" Matthew 14:30.
There was no time to call for a prayer meeting or to go to his ‘prayer
closet’ or begin his prayer with wonderful and grandeur acknowledgments of who
God is. There is a definite place for these things but not when the waves are
dragging you under. “Make haste to help me, O LORD!” Psalm 70:1.
I remember on one occasion we desperately needed a phone call from one
of our children. We were watching television when a call had come creating a
terrible need. I shut out the television noise and immediately prayed. “Lord,
please lay it on … ‘s heart to call—and please make it
soon.” Afterwards I thought it was rather audacious of me but not when within
ten minutes the prayed for phone call came.
By reading of the life of Jehoshaphat I am
sure he was a man of prayer. He knew the Lord and had learned that he had the
“ear of God.” It is interesting to me that he addressed his prayer to the “LORD
(YAHVAH) God (Elohim) of our fathers.” For the rest of his prayer he addressed
Elohim, the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the ‘WE’ of
creation—Genesis
“And Elisha
prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD
opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full
of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” 2 Kings
My soul, take comfort and encouragement for your Elohim is the LORD of
Hosts, and those hosts are ready at all times to obey
the commands and wishes of their Commander.
“But the salvation of the righteous is from
the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help
them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them,
because they trust in Him” Psalm 37:39-40.