“O our God, will You not judge them?
For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us;
nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
(2 Chronicles 20:12, NKJV) 

I grew up at the beach. My home was three blocks from the ocean. I could hear the waves crashing on the shore as I drifted off to sleep. One of my favorite times was when a hurricane or nor’easter would descend upon us. The ocean was a sight to behold with its dark disposition, angry surf, and swelling seas. 

Sometimes after those storms I would head down to the shore. It would be littered with debris from the sea – shells, driftwood, all sorts of things. It wouldn’t be unusual to discover something special worth keeping, a treasure of sorts. 

Here’s the thing. Those treasures would not have come had it not been for the storm. 

That’s the way it often works in our lives. The blessings God has for us are brought through the trials of life, blessings that would not have come had it not been for those storms. 

When we think of kingdom outcomes, we might think in terms of an end product, such as becoming fully mature in Christ or that day when all things will be made new. But there are other sorts of outcomes along the way, mini-outcomes in which the goals of our God are met in us. 

The account of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, serves as an example of a crisis where faith is exercised and blessings bestowed (2 Chron. 20:1-30). In the face of the threat that loomed large to God’s people, Jehoshaphat gave godly leadership by lifting their eyes to their God, seeking His face, stepping out with courage and confidence, and realizing the presence, the power, and the promise of God’s sovereign rule on their behalf. 

The catechism asks how Jesus exercises His rule as king and answers by pointing out the He subdues us to Himself, rules and defends us, and restrains and conquers all His and our enemies. That’s what we experience in the kingdom of God. We know that ultimate victory is with Jesus, but also that He is with us in skirmishes we face day in and day out. 

The heart of Jehoshaphat’s prayer cries out to God for His help, for Him to intervene, to intercede, to bring judgment. “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chron. 20:12). 

That prayer is fully answered in Jesus who stood in the breech for us against the threat of sin and Satan. And it is to Jesus we turn in each challenge of life to find mercy and grace to help in time of need, praying with thanksgiving and great expectation. 

How is a reflex for prayer in crisis developed in calm? 

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This course will involve self-paced study under the direction of a mentor. Each lesson will feature a video interview related to a book I have written and will include a study guide. Links to books and supporting materials will be provided. 

The course is free. Watch for an announcement about the availability of Thy Kingdom Come later this summer. 

The featured book for this session of Kingdom Disciplines is The Prayer of Jehoshaphat: Seeing Beyond Life’s Storms (Stanley D. Gale, P&R, 2007). Click here for a Jehoshaphat prayer guide.