“Don’t freak out!” I don’t know that it’s still one of their go-to mantras, but I remember one of my favorite missionary couples relating how “don’t freak out” was often what they would tell each other when things weren’t coming together (or were falling apart) as they had hoped. It came to mind this morning as I continued to read of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, in 2Chronicles 20.

Context? A bunch of “Ites”, as in Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites, form a military alliance to attack Judah. Their combined army is described once as “a great multitude’ (20:2), and three times referred to — by Jehoshaphat and by God — as “a great horde” (20:12, 15, 24). Jehoshaphat wasn’t overreacting as he took stock of the enemy approaching his kingdom.

Jehoshaphat calls together the people to pray. And it’s something in that prayer which causes me to pause and to ponder.

O our God, will You not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

(2Chronicles 20:12 ESV)

We are powerless . . . we don’t know what to do . . . but our eyes are on You! Hmm . . .

A lot of talk in our current cultural moment about who has “the power.” Jehoshaphat had none. A lot of outlets feeding us the info they think we need so that we can always know how to think and what to do. Jehoshaphat was clueless on next steps. A lot of expectations set that we need to be our “authentic selves” and make sure we’re seen and heard. Jehoshaphat removed the focus from himself and cast his eyes on Him who is invisible. Like I said, Hmm . . .

Don’t know what your “horde” is. But it seems to me that, more and more, we’ve all got “stuff” — if not multiple “stuff” that seems allied against us — which tends, at times, to overwhelm. Big stuff. Complex stuff. Stronger than us stuff. Stuff that reminds us we are powerless. And, when it comes down to it, often stuff against which we don’t know what to do.

Jehoshaphat reminds me this morning, that when that kind of stuff is encroaching, I should look up. Like, look WAY up. I should bow my head, close my eyes, and whisper to Him who hears in secret (Mt. 6:6), “My eyes are on You.”

Our eyes are on You . . . I shaded that with my light green pencil, my color for faith. Isn’t that what’s left when nothing’s left? Believing. Isn’t that what you gotta do when you don’t know what to do? I’m thinkin’ . . .

Easier said than done, perhaps. But when we are powerless, when we’re at a loss for what levers we have to pull, turning our eyes on Jesus seems like a pretty good next step.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.

(Hebrews 11:1-2 ESV)

Lord, our eyes are on You.

By Your grace. For Your glory.