fix your eyes

Last year I learned a lot about battles… Certainly I had battles before – but, there was something about what I faced last year with my husband’s unemployment that allowed me to look at the battles in my life differently.

This year my battles haven’t been of the same kind. They haven’t been quite so blatant as job-loss… but more internal… the attacks from the one who seeks to destroy us have been more subtle – but evident nonetheless.

We all go through various seasons of being on the battlefield…
Sometimes our battles look like job-loss…
or illness…
sometimes it’s difficult relationships…
or financial struggles…
Sometimes they look like desperate fights – yet, other times they are simply fighting our own selfishness to daily be in God’s Word when everything seems to be ‘fine’.

Maybe your battle looks like a decision that needs to be made…
Or, perhaps it is just getting. through. the. day. with your children fed and laundry done.

Sometimes our battles are in our face – obvious to anyone and everyone…
And other times, they are private and hidden in our hearts.
loneliness…
selfishness…
betrayal…
suffering of the heart…

Whatever our battle… I am convinced that our God is not UNaware.

Our King knows.

And what is even better?… He cares.

I was reading in 2 Chronicles 20 last night… Have you read it?
It is a passage that gives us clear instruction on how to face our battles… take a look:

“Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon,
together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying,
“A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea,
out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).”
Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord,
and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered
together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the
cities of Judah to seek the Lord.”
2 Chronicles 20:1-4

Jehoshaphat was about to face a big battle… and you know what?

He was afraid.

And, in his fear look at what he did… verse 3,
“And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord…”

He turned his attention to seek the Lord.

Hmmm…

What do I do when I’m afraid?

I usually want to run and hide… stay in bed… call a friend maybe.

Oh, that my first response when I face fear would be to turn my attention to the Lord.

Then it says that after all of Judah fasted, they gathered together to seek help from the Lord…

Again – they sought help from the Lord.

The next verses are Jehoshaphat praying – sounds a lot like crying out in the midst of fear to me…

verse 12…
“O our God, wilt Thou not judge them?
For we are powerless before this great
multitude who are coming against us; nor
do we know what to do, but our eyes are on Thee.”

I don’t know about you – but I don’t think I can count how many times I have felt powerless in the battles I face. Quite honestly, even the daily grind of mothering can be a battle I feel completely inadequate and powerless in.

Do you feel powerless in what you face?

Do you feel like your circumstances are impossible?
Like you don’t know how there could possible be good in this stuff around you?
Do you wonder how in the world there will be victory?
… or How you will survive?

Maybe the pain is so deep it seems to cut through any hope… and it is a scary place.

Look at what Jehoshaphat and all of Judah did…

“…but our eyes are on Thee.”

A HUGE multitude was coming against them. There was no way they could win this thing… they were powerless... and they were afraid…

But in the midst of feeling powerless they chose to FIX their EYES on Jesus.

What really gets me in this passage is in the next verse…

“And all Judah was standing before the Lord, with their infants, their wives, and their children.”

They let their children see.
They let their children be right there in the middle of it too… the children knew that everything looked like it was against them… the children probably recognized the fear the people felt… but, the children got to see what they did in the midst of it – they saw their parents, their leaders, the people of their nation fix their eyes on Jesus!

Look at the Lord’s response to Judah’s cry to the Lord when facing this massive battle…

verse 15:
“…and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the
Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of
this great multitude, for the battle is not your but God’s.”

So – last year, my battle had a lot to do with my husband losing his job… the lessons we learned and the incredible faithfulness of our God we experienced during the last 6 months of the year were absolutely mind-boggling. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, we were able to find rest in knowing that the battle we faced was not ours to fight… so we waited and watched for the Lord to show up for us – and He did!

How quickly we forget when circumstances ease up a bit though… This year, I am seeing that I have a tendency to eagerly claim the battle as mine to fight.

How stupid could I be? But, truly – as foolish as it sounds… and as foolish as it is – this is what I do.

I think I need to step in and control… you know, take matters into my own hands.

So, last night it was so good for me to dig into this passage…
Let’s keep digging – look at verse 17:

“You need not fight in this battle;
station yourselves,
stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf,
O Judah and Jerusalem.’
Do not fear or be dismayed;
tomorrow go out to face them,
for the Lord is with you.”

The battle isn’t mine to fight; however, I do need to train and be prepared… the battle belongs to the Lord.

I only need to fix my eyes on the Lord, show up and see the incredible salvation of the Lord.

So look at what happened when Judah obeyed – verses 20-25:

“When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.”

As they moved to face the battle… they sang praises of thanksgiving and God showed up and saved them.

What battle are you are facing today?
Fix your eyes on Jesus and…
“Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon.”
Psalm 31:24