I love this verse tucked away in 2 Chronicles 20:12. Jehoshaphat is facing a formidable foe and the odds are stacked heavily against him. He is outgunned and outmanned and about to be undone. And he says these words that grip me: “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.” Did you catch that admission in the middle? “We don’t know what to do.” We often find ourselves in situations where we don’t know what to do. Crisis, catastrophe, turmoil, and tragedy are all a part of our regular lives. We may feel hopeless, fearful, uncertain, or all three at the same time. We don’t know what to do. We feel stuck. We feel like there is no way forward.
“But our eyes are on you.” The word “but” is a crucial word in scripture. We don’t know what to do, BUT, God, You do. We don’t have the strength, BUT, God, You do. We are limited in ourselves BUT God is unlimited. And that’s the message of Jehoshaphat. “We don’t know what to do BUT, God, we know that You know what to do and You have the power to do it.” Just like Jehoshaphat, we need to turn to God and trust Him with our uncertainties and impossibilities.
As it turned out, God had Jehoshaphat’s back. In one of the more amazing stories in the Bible, a third army came on the scene to tangle with Jehoshaphat’s foes. They killed each other off. And by the time Jehoshaphat came on the scene, his enemy that he feared was dead. God had created a scenario for victory beyond what Jehoshaphat and his people could have imagined.
How about you today? What are you up against? What has you saying “I don’t know what to do?” Remember, God does know what to do. And He also has the wisdom and power to help you. He will strengthen you, guide you, and deliver you. Turn to Him. Talk to Him. Trust in Him. Keep your eyes on Him. He is your source, deliverer, redeemer, and loving Lord.