Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 20-22
Poetry: Psalm 7
New Testament: 1 Timothy 3
Ever since I was a little kid I’ve had trouble with my ears. I had surgery on my ears several times before I was 8. I almost completely lost the hearing in my right ear- before the surgery the doctor told my parents that the infection was so bad when he got in there he might have to completely remove the contents of my ear rendering me completely deaf in that ear. Fortunately, he was able to save my hearing. But I’ve still had struggles. The most irritating thing for me these days is my ears are itchy inside. When they start itching I pull out the q-tips and scratch away—such sweet relief. But then the next morning they itch again. I went to my ear, nose and throat doctor and he looked inside and asked, “How often do you use q-tips?” “Every day,” I said. “You need to stop!” And he explained the reason why. Your ears naturally produce oils to keep them lubricated so they don’t dry out. When you use q-tips it removes the oils, your ears dry out and become irritated… and itchy. The thing I do to relieve the itchy ears – q-tips, is the cause of them continuing to be itchy. The solution. Stop using q-tips for a few days, allow the oils to return and lubricate the ears, and they will stop itching. If I could just trust him and endure a few days of itchy ears without q-tips, then they would stop itching. Problem solved.
The first few days were miserable. They itched so bad. All I wanted to do was use a q-tip to scratch, but I resisted. After a few days, sure enough just like the doctor promised, the itching stopped. I had learned something new that made my life better. Until I forgot. Old habits die hard. I took a shower and used a q-tip to dry out my ears (he told me to use a hair dryer instead). The scratching felt familiar and good, and pretty soon my ears dried out and got itchy again.
Change can be hard. I can be a slow learner about some things, like q-tips and itchy ears. In today’s reading we see Jehoshaphat could be a slow learner about some things as well. In yesterday’s reading we saw that he got into trouble when he violated God’s instruction and entered into an unequal alliance with the king of Israel, and how it led to some problems. Jehoshaphat learned a lesson, repented of his actions and things became better for a while. He learned to trust God instead of trusting in an alliance with Israel’s idol-worshipping King Ahab.
In today’s reading, we see how fully Jehoshaphat learned that lesson and learned to trust God.
First, Jehoshaphat receives a report that a vast army of Ammonites and Moabites and others are coming to attack. Jehoshaphat becomes “alarmed” at the news. Does he reach out to the Israelites to become his allies? That’s normally what would happen. (My ear itches, I’ll do what I always do and grab a q-tip). But Jehoshaphat learned a valuable lesson in the last story. So instead of entering into an alliance which God has forbidden, he decides to ask God for guidance.
Jehoshaphat calls for a fast and all the people of Judah came together to seek God’s guidance. They prayed to God: “God, we don’t know what to do, our eyes are on you.” Notice it says all the men, women, and children stood before God in an act of humility, reverence, and solidarity, seeking his guidance and direction.
Then something amazing happened. God answered them. The Spirit of God came on Jahaziel, the prophet, who then brings a word from God. The message is clear: “Don’t be afraid or discouraged for the battle belongs to God. Trust that God will defend you against your enemies.” God instructs them to go toward their enemies, stand firm, and then watch what God will do. Israel responded by worshipping and praising God with singing.
What happened next? God set an ambush against them and then, the enemies of Judah all turn on each other and destroyed each other. The people of Judah came to the overlook as God instructed so that God could show them the destruction of their enemies. They collected the plunder and it took them 3 days to haul the plunder back to Judah. As a result, their other enemies were afraid of God. God gave Jehoshaphat peace. (No more itchy ears when you follow the doctor’s orders and quit using the q-tips).
But old habits are hard to break sometimes. Jehoshaphat forgot to remember. Jehoshaphat made another alliance, and again there were consequences: “Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.” 2 Chronicles 20:37. Out came the q-tips again.
Jehoshaphat isn’t the only slow learner. This, it turns out was a pattern for generations of God’s people. God would give people instructions, the people didn’t fully trust God and tried to do things their way, God sent consequences to discipline them, the people didn’t like the consequences so they repented and started obeying God. Things got better for the people…. Until they once again forgot to trust God and tried to do things their own way and the cycle repeated itself over, and over and over again.
Fortunately, God was patient with slow-learning Jehoshaphat, and with slow-learning Judah. Fortunately, the same God is also patient with us. Psalm 103:8-12 reminds us:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Through Jesus Christ God mercifully provides us with a saving way to turn from our faithless and disobedient ways, to learn to trust and follow God’s ways. Learning to trust God fully is a journey that can take time. We still are tempted to grab that q-tip and begin scratching away at those itchy ears. But if we can learn to simply trust God’s ways, no matter how itchy the ears or scary the invading armies might seem, we can trust and know that God will show us a way to peace and joy (and unitchy ears.)
-Jeff Fletcher
Reflection Questions
- Why do you suppose Jehoshaphat’s “itchy ears” was his difficulty depending on God and not alliances with other kings?
- What are some of your “itchy ear” areas where you have difficulty trusting God’s ways and try to do things your way (which usually makes things worse?)
- What is one step you can take today toward trusting God in this area of your life?
Seek Grow Love 