The Dependence of Faith

Have you ever been in the middle of a big undertaking and found out you didn’t have the resources to continue? Israel and Judah found themselves in such a situation in 2 Kings 3. They had marched out to take on the king of Moab, had taken the long way through the desert, and had ran out of water. To make matters worse, even though the war was his own idea, King Joram blamed God for what he thought was their impending defeat. Have you ever done that? You didn’t ask God if you should do something, you step out and do it anyway, and then you end up in trouble? Then you blame God for what happened? Yeah, we can all relate! However, even though he himself should have asked if God wanted them to take on the King of Moab, at least King Jehoshaphat had the sense to now insist that they inquire of God for direction and help. The contrast between faith and unbelief in this story is dramatic. Joram’s unbelief leads to despondency and pessimism. Jehoshaphat’s faith leads him to seek out and trust God. Miraculously, God provides! He met physical needs, even if it seemed impossible to human reasoning. But more than that, God promises to provide guidance and deliverance to all those who seek Him. As we gather together this week in person or online, my prayer is that we will discover that whenever we depend on God, God shows Himself to be faithful. Before the crisis, seek God. In the middle of the crisis, seek God. After the crisis, seek and thank God. Why can we depend on God? Because, “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord…” 2 Kings 3:18