Tuesday, April 19, 2022

2 Chronicles 20 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

2 Chronicles 20:21,22

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: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” 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.

How do we enter our battles? With songs of praise and thanksgiving to our God from a heart of soft and living flesh, or begrudgingly with a heart as hard as stone? Whether we like it or not, there are battles raging all around us all the time. Some we may see, some we may feel, but regardless of whether we see or feel them, they are there, and we are in them. Let’s look at how Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah prepared for battle.

The army against them was vast, their chances low, and the task at hand costly, yet they didn’t complain and grumble against the LORD but rather marched out to battle with songs of praise and honor! Could we be a people who worshipped our God regardless of the situation or circumstance? On the cross, Jesus faced a battle that He didn’t have to fight. It wasn’t His sin that put Him up there but ours. Yet He went willingly, and His faithful obedience is a beautiful song of worship to the Father and also a song of freedom and victory for the prisoners, you and me!

On top of that beautiful song of obedience, Christ also quotes Psalm 22, a song in itself. So, to me, He was singing a song of victory and glory to God while hanging there suffering for mankind’s sin. Psalm 22 is a psalm about the suffering and victory of the Messiah. Jesus was pointing His people back to worship in His hardest time; will we? Our King faced His toughest battle with love and worship on His lips and in His heart; will we?

Jesus, help us to honor you in all we do.

Matthew 27:46- About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Psalm 22:1-3- For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.

Psalm 22:22-24- I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly, I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

God bless! I love you all, but His love leads the way! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our Risen King, and the Holy Spirit!

I encourage you to read Psalm 22 and reflect upon Christ and all that He is and all that He did for you and me!

 

 

 

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