The Battle Is Not MINE

"This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."

2 Chronicles 20:15

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My son, my heart, is soon to fly from the nest. I imagine all sorts of battles he will face. Fear and worry stir with vigor in my mind. I know there is a vast army ready to do battle with him in this world. He is enlisted in the service of the KING. Bubba, as he is known by his sisters, is currently on a mission trip in MI. There he is serving needy children through music and mentoring. Soon, too soon, he will board another airplane and be absent from our lives for months. Little Mommy says it's as if he is going to die. I praise Jesus for the blessing of Minnie Me. Closer in age they will remain together for a long time.

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I do take comfort that our Jedi knows the battle is real and which side he is on. He took great pains choosing a college to prepare him for Worship Ministry. Looking near and far. Finally comfortable with a tiny Bible College. All our hearts are at peace with Bubba's desire to follow where God is leading. Pleased with his plans and offering daily prayers for protection and guidance, my love will travel along this pilgrims path.

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"Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel." 2 Chronicles 20:19

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The end of the gorge in the desert is a place I have been often. The enemy attacking inside and out, climbing through my thoughts, spreading fear, doubt and depression. Stealing Hope. How I have thirsted in those times yet too weary to drink. Baking in the desert. The command "MARCH", "March against them", is painful to the ears of my heart. I just want to give up at the moment of my defeat. Knowing there is nothing left of me with which to rise. Yet HE calls with command again! "MARCH!" The loving voice cradles my beaten spirit, whispering the question, "Do you trust me?" Holding out HIS HAND, "take hold and close your eyes to all around you, I AM HERE. Do you trust ME?" An automatic response is on my lips with yes, LORD. HE replies, "March. March, you trust. Don't march, you don't trust. Trust, you believe. No trust, you don't. AM I who I AM? AM I who I say I AM? AM I who you say I AM? Do you believe your fear or ME? March. So I set my heart and mind to move the useless limbs. They move. I rejoice. Hope springs and floods my thoughts banishing the foe's infecting clouds. Humbled by the speck of obedience blessed.

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"You will not have to fight this battle." 20:17

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Shudders of relief run through the arteries of dying flesh. Faint with relief. I don't have to do it. My Savior IS HERE. Doubt still tries another attempt with limiting reality to human realms. Stating the obvious impossibilities with petitioned arguments. Calling the Savior a fairy tale of fantasy dreams. Accusing the loss of mind for so called faith. Beyond foolish, labeling CRAZY. Tempted to float, I am anchored with tears. The Savior is my only hope. There is no other. He alone can save me. "Be gone, I will believe."

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"Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem." 2 Chronicles 20:17

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Obey. He will fight for me. He will save. He will deliver. He will fulfill His promise. Yet, HE IS with me. I must be with HIM. A real relationship is not one sided. He wants me with HIM. HE IS doing battle for me. Stand up and watch me. "I love you", "I will fight for you". "Remember, don't ever forget it. Be strong with your love for me. Know I AM. Show your faith in me as I show mine in you.

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"Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17

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Tomorrow the LORD is with me. The old dragon of fear is once again vanquished by the TRUE KNIGHT. I pray my son walks with the LORD through the battles. Faith is built in the battle, strengthen when weak, blessed when believed.

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"Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice." 2 Chronicles 20:18

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Some stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. Some? Why only some. Even among believers, some may be all that stand up and praise. Some may be all that truly believe. Some are not just going along with the crowd or leadership. To some it is very personal. To some it is uncontainable. Will I be among the "some"?

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"Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

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"Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

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Sing Praise! Give Thanks! Before, just believing as if it already was. Our Bubba wants to be one of these who go before the army singing PRAISE. May I sing praise everyday before the LORD. May He delight in our song.

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"As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped." 2 Chronicles 20:22 - 24

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The LORD honors our first breaths of praise. HIS victory is complete.

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"....all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets."

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More MUSIC!!!! Before, during and after the battle. Praise JESUS, HE IS my Savior. So many battles in my past, so many yet to come. My hope is in the LORD, My HERO.

Psalm 61

"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
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From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
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For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
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I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah
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For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage
of those who fear your name.
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Increase the days of the king's life,
his years for many generations.
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May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
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Then will I ever sing praise to your name
and fulfill my vows day after day. "
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You, Lord and no other are The Strong Tower. Thank you for showing me my dependence on you through my children. Help me give them a heritage of a mother that fears YOUR NAME.

Show Me YOUR WAYS

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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Plans. The LORD has a plan for me. It's one I don't know. It's one HE is asking me to trust HIM. As I look back I can see, I didn't have a clue. So, why is it so hard to trust HIM now? I do trust HIM with so much. This fear just keeps creeping in. What about this or this God? Are you considering this or that? If this is going on in my head, I am limiting His GODness. I am confining Him to the boundaries of HIS creation. He is the Creator. I gotta remember that. HE is MORE than all of it together. More than my imagination. More than all of history or all of the future. More than every mind's thoughts at once. I cannot truly understand it. Hence my fears. I get it in theory. I wanna get it in reality.
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I love to plan. I don't always love carrying out the beautifully made plans. It is a season of planning for me. Homeschooling, Co-op, Bible study, parenting, homemaking, and the list goes on and on. Over my head. Praise Jesus, it's not over HIS.
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What I'm wanting is more hope. Hope and not feelings of defeat upon planning my year. How I wrestle with the LORD. I give it all up to Him and then at the first sign of doubt, grab and tear it away from Him.
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So for today I am going to remember the picture above, and not abort His promise in me. Remember that I am adopted by the KING of KINGS. It's His Kingdom. And I'm His Princess. The plans are going to be great! Full of surprise to delight my soul. Not with the begrudging attitude of a preteen's heart but that of a dancing child spinning in dress up clothes. I'll never be grown up in Christ. What a treasure it is to know He takes joy in me as I grow. The more I trust Him, the more He smiles at my dancing.
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I don't know the plans HE has for me. I'm not suppose to. What I am to do is trust Him with my future. So I will seek His will, make all my plans and be ready to follow Him off my plans on to His when He calls, taking His hand and holding tight. What I do know is that no matter how much I plan HE IS going to surprise me with changes and challenges. My heart is set not to be derailed by this but anticipate it. Eyes open looking for Jesus. Not afraid of harm. Looking towards prosperity.
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"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Proverbs 21:21
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"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old." Psalm 25:4 - 6
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My lips are left singing, "Show me your ways, that I may walk with you. Show me your ways, I put my hope in you........"