Front Line Worship
When David, as messed up in his sin as the day is long, sought to make his own way to redemption, he dug his hole deeper instead of digging his way out. To cover himself, he sent the husband of his newly manipulated mistress back to to war, with orders for the commander to put this man at the front of the battle where surely he would find the fighting to be most fierce.
It was David’s intent that Uriah be killed.
And so he was.
Curious then, it strikes me, how King Jehoshaphat formed the front line when he assembled his troops to defend a nation against an onslaught of vicious — and superior — armies.
We do not know what to do
The coming invasion would be no ordinary battle. It appeared it would be their last. When word reached Jehoshaphat that no less than three armies had amassed and marched closer by the hour, a people in the past known for rebellion and division came together in order to seek the Lord.
Devastatingly aware they were no match for the encroaching forces, they stood as one — from warrior to wee small — and told God We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.
Rather than gathering arms, sharpening swords, polishing shields, they set their collective face toward God, empty of themselves but intent on knowing and following His purpose.
Did Jehoshaphat just define trust with these few desperate words?
They knew plenty, this people. Even about going to war. But though possessing knowledge they rendered themselves without and laid themselves open before One Who simply is to know. Without hesitation they fixed their gaze and declared aloud, We must see You.
We do not know what else to do.
I can look long out my kitchen window and see small town serenity — kids running and squealing on the school playground, a black lab jumping and panting in her pen at the sight of a collie on the road, a tractor lumbering by on its way back to the field.
No troops in formation.
But the battle goes on all the same. And not many days in a row pass when my head doesn’t drop splat onto open pages at the bedside while I muster words like I don’t know what to do. My eyes are on You.
I don’t have it, I’m often left to say. I need You to do this thing.
The Lord heard them, He saw them looking, and sent word through the prophet to face the enemy without fear. For the battle is not yours, he would say, but God’s.
Showing up
They rose the next day and set out, charged by the prophet to just show up. God had the rest. Their job, the people, was to show up, take positions and stand firm.
Armies awaited them, weapons at the ready, set to destroy.
Then Jehoshaphat, in what could as easily be considered madness as faith, moved his troops back just a bit to make room for his new front line. There, where the fighting would be most fierce, death and mayhem most certain, he put not his fittest warriors but mere musicians.
He directed a group of singers to the front line to lead the defenders not in hand-to-hand combat, but in worship.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! 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:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-21)
As the people, led by “unarmed” musicians, declared the splendor of His holiness, the armies that drooled in anticipation of their slaughter fell upon one another. And the army of Judah, held together by that ever-enduring love of God, lifted voices only, not a single sword or bow, and watched every last enemy soldier cut to ribbons by his very own allies.
So great was this destruction of the enemy, the one who sought Judah’s undoing, that it took a handful of days for God’s people to retrieve all the plunder.
Leading with worship
So this is how we fight the battle, the day-to-day, the sudden onslaught.
We worship.
We declare His unfailing love.
We proclaim His holiness.
We rejoice in His mercy.
And we exult in His goodness.
Conventional weapons, we set these to the back.
Worship is not reserved for preparation only, nor limited to celebration of the victory.
It is the very means by which the battle is waged.
Into the place of fiercest fighting, of greatest danger, we rush with loudest adoration.
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Photo: Pawns by Jolka Igolka via Stock.xchng
Lyla – These are SHOUTING words!! “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” In this day I could truly learn a lesson from King Jehoshaphat by looking to and having faith in the Lord. Excellent word!
2010/08/04 at 2:23 PM
SHOUTING, yes! Perhaps I should have written the post in all caps, Nancy?
2010/08/04 at 7:53 PM
I love this story, Lyla. Recently read it again in my morning time with Him. I remember thinking much the same: Musicians? Come on, really? and then, just: wow. Faith is and easy talk but not so much the walk. Sometimes I ask the Lord to open my eyes so I can see the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around me just as Elisha’s servant did. But I have this faith instead. It will do.
And thank you again, my friend, for the sweet note you dropped in my snail mail. I so enjoyed the bookclub journey and traveling it with you made it twice as nice!
2010/08/04 at 2:50 PM
This faith He gives us, yes, it will do. Most times I figure I don’t really care about moving mountains. I just want to trust Him.
2010/08/04 at 7:54 PM
I agree with Nancy…the shout built up and culminated with your final sentences…
“Worship is not reserved for preparation only, nor for celebration of the victory.
It is where the battle is waged.
Into the place of fiercest fighting, of greatest danger, we rush with loudest adoration.”
Amen! Glory to God!
2010/08/04 at 4:18 PM
Karen, if I knew this, moved with this, every day. I wonder…
2010/08/04 at 7:55 PM
Lyla. Disclaimer: Being unable to resist my thoughts is indeed a sickness, I know I need help! That said, my first reaction when I read this was that sometimes the singing in our Church is such that it has this effect on us let alone our enemies. Leaving the outcome to God, is not only an act of faith, it is a realization that his outcome whatever it will be, is better than whatever we desire it will be. My greatest desire is to recognize this long before the point when I have to admit “I don’t know what to do.”
2010/08/04 at 5:52 PM
David, I wonder, did you mean Church with a big-C or did you mean the singing of your little-c church?
I think you’re right. Sometimes we think having faith means believing God for the outcome we want, when really He’s after us trusting no matter what — an often that’s trusting Him through some difficult times.
And I don’t know why it takes us so long to recognize that “we don’t know” when most of the time we haven’t a clue.
2010/08/04 at 7:59 PM
Lyla, think of another lesson. Considering this story and the similarity with the story of Jericho, even as His people followed His directions and obediently worshipped Him, the very means of Worship and its expression, in this instance music, almost the opposite of fighting, reminds us that even when we do as He instructs, the outcome could not possibly be the result of what man has done, the outcome is all His. God does not act in response to our obedience, He acts in response to His own nature and character.
2010/08/04 at 9:50 PM
I remember too the amazing smoke-and-mirrors show he did with Gideon, stripping his army of 32k down to 300, and then sending them out with clay jars and torches.
When all was said and done, there was no way on earth that anybody could credit Gideon or his guys with the outcome. Had to be God.
2010/08/04 at 9:58 PM
I’m mostly okay with don’t have a clue ,
until everything in a day leaves me so tired and despondent and bitter that I realize this, then,
now , is when I need to trust.
and I’m not even living anything remotely hard. Just the day to day.
2010/08/04 at 9:37 PM
Deb, some days I find the day to day far more than remotely hard.
2010/08/04 at 10:05 PM
Your life will not be remotely hard, if you leave the remote to the man of the house where it belongs.
2010/08/04 at 10:10 PM
” . . . just show up. God had the rest.”
And our rest is with God. When I don’t know what to do, He does.
Needed this today!
2010/08/06 at 1:22 PM
Using a conventional weapon in the battle we’re in would be like using one of those toy light sabers that came out a few years ago–they look like the real thing, but in reality, I’m just beating someone with a plastic stick. Good stuff–especially about the musicians up front; I’d never thought of how “dumb” that sounds in the modern-day battle plan, about as dumb as having flags in the front.
2010/08/08 at 11:39 PM
And not just leading with worship.
But waiting with worship.
Being still with worship.
With His word and His promises.
You teach me, Lyla.
Thank you!
Sweet dreams.
2010/08/16 at 7:16 PM