Rest on every side

When I stand on the back porch in Colorado, truly I worship God.  I don't always have my hands in the air, but I do worship Him.  The mountains surround me and I see Him and feel Him everywhere so very profoundly.

Where do you worship God?  Is it everywhere?  Anywhere?  Only at certain places?

Last Sunday at Simple Church, Justin preached from 2 Chronicles 20 and it really got my attention.  So I have been pondering on it all week.  I have looked at, read it, and written about it all week.  The reason being it is about truly trusting God and letting go.  Totally believing in God and trusting in Him and letting Him handle it all.  Go read it for yourself.

How many times do you give something to God and in a few days pick it right back up again?  Or should I say think you can handle it because perhaps God isn't doing it the way we expect Him to or we don't know what He is doing, so let's help Him out?

I am going to share a portion of the story, but please read it for yourself.  Jehoshaphat is about to lead the people into a battle.  He isn't sure what to do, but he calls the people of Judah together to seek God's desires.  God tells him to not be afraid or discouraged because the vast army isn't theirs to fight.  It is God's battle.  So Jehoshaphat listened to the instructions and the next morning instructed certain men to sing and praise Him for the splendor of God.  Yes, the choir lead the army into the area for battle.  Well, confusion took over the enemy and they took care of each other!  God definitely works in mysterious ways!

Yet, isn't it so cool that they were singing and trusting God to handle it and He did!  How often do we try to handle the battle going on in our life, but it is not ours to handle?  While looking at this verse this week the words that struck me is verse 30 ~ And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.  What about you?  Does peace on every side sound good?  Have you thought about perhaps the reason you aren't at peace is you are trying to handle something that isn't yours to handle?

All week I have reflected on the awesome picture in my head of the choir singing at the top of their lungs headed into battle with the soldiers following behind.  Do you wonder what was the choir thinking or were they totally lost in worship?  Was the army lost in worship as well?  Isn't it beautiful that an army was so into worship that they let go and let God handle things?

Another thought that is along the same thought process of trusting and letting God handle the battles was a story that Ann Voskamp shares in her latest devotional book.  It is about a Rabbi that sat down beside her on an airplane and he said these words to her, "You may believe in God, but never forget-it's God that believes in you."  He continued by pointing out the window saying "Every morning the sun rises and you get to rise.  That's God saying He believes in you, that He believe's in the story He's writing in you."  Isn't this so good?  

WE say we believe in Him, but yet He proves every moment that He believes in us!  Take a moment and worship the One that loves us and believes in us always!  Let Him handle whatever battle you are facing.

Trusting Him,

Debbie