Emergency Preparedness
Today I want to talk to you about being prepared. As I was praying about what to share this week the Lord led me to a few scriptures and a small book “A prayer that moves Heaven” my Ron Mehl. I have taken his format and used a bit of creative liberty as he walks us through one of my favorite stories in Chronicles and the prayer of King Jehoshaphat. I want us all to walk in confidence that no matter what comes we will not be like the women who did not have oil in their lamps when Jesus came but rather we will be ready and prepared for any and all news and events, knowing exactly what to do. These past months and this last week has rocked our country and our lives. It seems there just can’t be more but we are never sure what tomorrow may bring, we need to be prepared.
Proverbs 22:3
3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are punished.
During these stressful times filled with news of the virus, economic fall out and now social and racial unrest we are not dealing simply with speculations of trouble but negative realities that are far reaching. These events were not expected and far from our thinking months ago. How do we prepare for such things when life defining crisis crash into an otherwise normal day, week or month?
Lets take a look at a man who on an ordinary day got extraordinary news.
2 Chronicles 20
2 Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, Engedi).3Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6 and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you. 7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, 9 ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you— for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’
During the next couple of weeks I thought it would be wise to look at this story. Just an ordinary day in the life of a king and suddenly Jehoshaphat finds himself trying to absorb the most shocking, fearful news a king can receive.
Have you ever had that kind of news?
I have, 2 times that come immediately to mind.
An ordinary day and evening except that I had been waiting 3 hours for a scheduled call from my son Jon. I had tried not to look at my phone like an anxious mom but when I checked my cell phone for messages there were 7 messages from a number I did not recognize from Walnut Creek (my phone had been on silent mode..). My body seized as I called the number and was connected to Kaiser emergency. Jon was there intubated. He was brought in code blue, they would put me through to the doctor immediately. Was he on drugs, had he been out of the country? I should come immediately. An ordinary night at our home in the mountains and the first snow storm of the year…a five hour drive….my boy.
An ordinary beautiful summer day. My oldest son took his last great water ski run of the weekend. Then they were airlifting him, fully paralyzed to Chico…..
Two times a moment changed everything.
Did my two instances relate to our study of Jehoshaphat……..I think they do. They were unexpected, like the virus, like the economic uncertainty, like the civil unrest suddenly flooding the news. Life changed in a moment.
Part 2
“ A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria, and they are in Hazaron Tamar.”
A great multitude is coming against you.
“ And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord”.
Trust me fear entered my heart both times news came that was unexpected. Two times I faced the potential loss of a son. .None of us know what will happen tomorrow.
That is why we need to heed the example of King Jehoshaphat.
His first reaction: Fear
His second reaction: He set himself to seek the Lord.
Proverbs 24: 10 says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”
Jehoshaphat feared but he did not faint. Instead he turned instantly to the God of his fathers and poured out his heart.
What do we learn from these 8 verses that we can use as a blueprint for emergency preparedness?
- His heart was prepared and he walked in Gods ways: Jehoshaphat’s secret was simple. When it came time to run to God he did not have to go far. Second Chronicles 17 tells us that “the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his (great-great-great-grandfather) David; he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments. (vs 3-4) By the way, he made mistakes but he also repented and in chapter 19 verse 3 Jehu the prophet tells him, “ good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.”
Psalm 105:4
English Standard Version (ESV)
4Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
- Jehoshaphat then reminded himself of who God is!! vs 6 “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.
“God you hold the power of life and death in your hand. Heal Jon, Heal Jason, take care of our finances, protect my families health ……
- Jehoshaphat recounted the memorial stones. vs 7, “Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?”
Lord, you healed so many, even raised your friend from the dead. You have provided miraculously before, jobs, houses that burned to the ground, do it again Lord….
- Jehoshaphat cried out to the name of the Lord.vs 9 “If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you— for your name is in this house”
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Why do we study the names of God? So that we will understand all that Jehovah Jireh, Rapha, Nissi, \ etc means. Our provider, healer, banner, strength, peace. Everything we will ever need is in the name. Every knee will bow to that name. The enemy must bow to that name when he brings adversity and disaster.
There is power in the name to strengthen our hearts and build our faith. To give us confidence as we enter into the throne room on behalf of ourselves, our family and our friends, our neighborhoods and our country.
Ladies, this is word to be prepared. Let us be like this King. Walking with God each day so that when we need Him we do not have far to go. Recalling who He is, mighty and strong, recalling what he has done for us in the past and that He remains faithful, running to his name and trusting in all that His name provides.
These times may not feel like personal emergencies but we are in crisis with the enemy at our heels. It is a time to be prepared to turn to God and His name and take up our role as ready intercessors.
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