Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:17 – “This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (NRSV)
I am not going to lie to you. I have been very anxious about the state of the world in the last few weeks. I worry about the lives of the people of Ukraine and for their ability to build back from Russian attacks, assuming they can endure. I worry about the spike in gas prices because of Russian aggression and the subsequent rise in the prices of other things as well. I worry that all the laws and common cause in the world mean nothing if the powerful just do whatever they want anyway with no consequences. I know this is getting to me not only for conscious reasons, but also for unconscious ones. Last night I dreamed that things had gotten so bad that people were living in parking garages out of desperation. As with most dreams, the details did not bear scrutiny, but I think it was still a reflection of my anxiety.
Today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the United States Congress for more action to preserve his homeland. He is asking for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something that many fear could spark a nuclear war with Russia. Some people, including me, fantasize about swooping in to save the day, to defeat the tyrant, and to strike a victory for democracy. But the Bible is insistent again and again that God is the only one who can determine when and how we should act.
One example of this comes from the Second Book of Chronicles, specifically the section that deals with reign of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. According to the story, a confederacy of various peoples found in modern Jordan had united to attack Judah, the kingdom around Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat was terrified that his nation would be conquered and destroyed. He prayed to God, “O our God, will you not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Jehoshaphat felt that his forces were not adequate to win the day, but more importantly, he knew that Israel’s success in the past came when they trusted in God to bring justice to the world. Throughout books like Numbers, Joshua, and Judges, whenever the Israelites struck out on their own in battle, they fell, but when they waited and trusted in the Lord, they succeeded. Indeed, God instructs Jehoshaphat to send out his meager troops under the promise that God will be with them. “This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf.” As you might expect, the enemy forces are routed.
Every army claims that God is with them, so it is difficult to ascertain whether any are acting out of faith or out of impatience or fear. I do not know if fate will bring salvation to Ukraine or whether some puppet president will enact Russian policies over the smoldering ruins of Kyiv for years to come. But I do know that God saves us, and that God is with us in good times and bad. I know in my heart that while we might not see it every day, God will bring justice in time. So, like Jehoshaphat, we must silence our fears and turn to prayer, for it is through God that we will find the right time to endure and the right time to act for the good of all.
Prayer: As Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote, “Lo, the hosts of evil round us / scorn the Christ, assail his ways. / From the fears that long have bound us / free our hearts to faith and praise. / Grant us wisdom, grant us courage / for the living of these days, /for the living of these days.” Amen.
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