2 Chronicles 13:18 The men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers.

Sometimes it feels like the Old Testament is nothing but a record of man’s mistakes, but every once and a while people did things right. This particular victory of Judah over Israel is significant for a number of reasons. In the first place, it was soon enough after the division that Jeroboam was still king in the Northern kingdom of Israel, so it was a rebuke to his “strategic idolatry.” In the second place, he had a much larger fighting force. (verse 3) In the third place, he even used better tactics! (verse 13) The only thing in Judah’s favor was that they were actively and openly relying on the Lord. That was enough! It’s not that resources and tactics aren’t useful, to say the least, but the Bible tells us again and again and again in various ways that “victory rests with the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31) Gideon is of course a prime example of that. (Judges 6-7) The world sees “humanism” as a good thing, and we are essentially taught to take stock of what we have and act accordingly. The problem with that is that God is far greater than everything else put together, and if He says something, that’s it. After all, He spoke the universe into existence! (Genesis 1) Paul put it in terms of the visible and the invisible. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) Even physicists tell us that one day the world will be destroyed, but nothing can destroy God.

This is, fortunately, the world view in which I was raised, but I slip from it at times. I too get distracted by all that I see physically. It’s not that the physical is bad in and of itself – I love taking pictures of God’s creation – but I’ve got to remember that it’s all strictly temporary. The cable TV reporter who interviewed me at my recent photo show asked me what attraction I had to photographs, as opposed to video or other art forms. I told him it was the capturing of moments, because everything is ephemeral. Some things, like mountains and seascapes and the like, can seem eternal, but they too will pass away. Living in a volcanic nation like Japan, I am very aware that the earth beneath my feet can change in a moment! I’m reminded of something I’ve heard about more than one geographic location: “Don’t like the weather? Wait a few minutes.” I’ve got to remember that anything not rooted in God is at least as changeable as the weather. As I was counseling someone just the other day, when we find our identity and value in the God who created and loves us, then we won’t be so whipped around by people’s opinions. I know that very well, and I need both to teach it and walk it out myself.

Father, thank You for this reminder. The rate of change in the world certainly isn’t slowing down! Help me rely fully on You, not grudgingly or passively but actively with joy, so that all of Your purposes for me may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!