2 Chronicles 20:1-13
Praise is a celebration of the Lord, but when we are in trouble, celebrating seems out of place. In today’s passage, Jehoshaphat faced his difficulty by applauding God’s past work and faithfulness and by recalling His promises. When we respond in a similar way, we will be able to proceed with courage, just as he did.
The natural human response to a troubling time is self-pity, and rehashing the details only makes it seem more threatening. Praise focuses our attention on God instead. If we are looking to Him, then we can’t help but recognize His sovereignty. Every trial comes through His permissive will, which means He has complete control and is faithful to see us through it.
Recalling the Lord’s mighty acts and focusing on His sovereignty in everyday life reminds us of our dependence upon Him (2 Chron. 20:7-12). The king expected that God would intervene because recorded history showed He always acted to rescue His people. Israel’s recognition of her own helplessness is what brought about divine deliverance.
The more we read and study, the better we understand God’s many attributes and assurances. Then when difficulty comes, we can celebrate His past faithfulness to Christians while awaiting His promised help.
Bible in One Year: 1 Corinthians 4-6
