Peace and trust

  Yesterday I got some news about an ongoing, very frustrating situation.  It was supposed to be resolved. We were finally reaching the end of a year-long "battle" that had intensified over the past 3 months.  With the extra money, time and multiple phone calls poured into this, the long awaited paperwork signaling resolution had arrived.   I opened it up. It was only half there.  They hadn't processed it all properly.  It's a weekend, no one to call and rant over the phone about the many in-competencies of the department, demanding immediate resolution.  Others expressing frustration toward this ongoing delayed process, and I'm stuck in the middle.  Helpless.  Beyond frustrated, and I cry out to God.  Why??  What is going on here?  In what way are you going to receive glory, fight for me, make "all things turn out for the good of those who love You"? I don't see it, and I'm so very tired of trying to explain and diffuse others' frustrations when I've reached the end of my patience as well.  What is this supposed to be teaching us, and can I please learn the lesson so that this never ending merry-go-round can stop!
   It's probably no mistake that my study on peace, which has led me to study the verses on the fear of the Lord and the words "do not fear", brought me to 2 Chronicles 20.  Jehoshaphat was king in Israel.  He had rid the land of idols and worked hard to turn Israel back to the Lord and establish righteous government that judged the people rightly, fearing the Lord.  Just after he had well-established this, he got rewarded.  News came that the people of Moab, Ammon plus others - a great multitude- was coming up in battle against him.  What?!  Is this how You reward those who seek You? This most certainly made him afraid, and so he did the one thing that he had been prepared to do.  He sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout the land.  All of Judah followed in his example and came together to seek the Lord.  Jehoshaphat, with total honesty before the Lord did 7 things: 1. He began by declaring who God is.  He affirmed the personal nature of God - "Lord God of our fathers" and the authority of God - "are you not God in heaven ruling over all the kingdoms and nations?"  And he affirmed His attributes.  2. Then, he reminded God (and more so himself) of all that God had done in power and might to save before.   3. He reconfirmed his commitment to seek God. 4. He laid out the problem before God.  5. He acknowledged His wisdom and ability above his own and asked for Divine intervention.
 
   Following this prayer, the Spirit of God spoke through a prophet "Don't be afraid, God's got this." Or something very much like that.  6. Jehoshaphat believed in God's Word and entered into the battle with worship.  7.  He saw God fight for him and completely vanquish the enemy.  In fact, the report is that when they began to sing and praise, "the Lord set ambushes against the people...who had come up against Judah, and they were defeated...they helped destroy one another...No one had escaped."  So that when Judah came up to a place overlooking the valley, all they saw were dead bodies and they went and plundered the whole army By the way, who wears precious jewelry into battle?  Are you really going to get dressed up in fancy jewelry to fight a war?  This shows the extent of God's humor and the way. He goes above and beyond His people's prayers and needs and abundantly blesses those who choose to seek Him in the midst of their fears and radically trust His word - letting praise precede the victory. 

Trust and Obey

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
   What a glory He sheds on our way!
   While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
   And with all who will trust and obey.
   • Refrain:
     Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
     To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies, 
   But His smile quickly drives it away;    ( now this line always bothered me.  It's not always
   Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,          quick.  Sometimes we have to walk out
   Can abide while we trust and obey.                 long steps of faith to see His salvation)
3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
   But our toil He doth richly repay;
   Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
   But is blessed if we trust and obey.
4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
   Until all on the altar we lay;
   For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
   Are for them who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
   Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
   What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
   Never fear, only trust and obey.

Song

Story behind the song