"CONTROL???"

2 Chronicles 20:5-12; 18                (ESV)
"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.'
10 And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy-
11 behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit.
12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

"18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD."


CONTROL-to exercise restraint or DIRECTION OVER; dominate; command.

Everyone wants to have some sort of control over their life.  We at least want to have control of our bodily functions.  Most of us want our weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, and other health related figures under some sort of "CONTROL".  Things I might not exercise as great of "CONTROL" is the words I speak, the emotions I let motivate me, or the reactions I might have toward perceived injustices to me, or those I love.

King Jehoshaphat recognized who he was and WHO his GOD was. Although King Jehoshaphat was head over the Jewish people, he knew that he was nothing before the GOD in Heaven.   Many doubt the concept that GOD, a SPIRIT, can rule over something as powerful and mighty as an entire kingdom.  In 1967, GOD demonstrated HIS might once again to all.

According to Wikipedia.com, the Six Day War, from June 5–10, 1967, was a "Total" Israeli victory.  The total population of Israel in 2013 was 8,013,400.  The Arab nations opposing them in the Six Day War had a combined 2013 population of over 378,000,000!    How could a nation such as Israel so "out manned" "DOMINATE" in such fashion?  The "odds" seemed overwhelming!

From time to time I get frustrated with the "odds" that seem to be against me.  King Jehoshaphat resorted to what we all should seek refuge in.  He "fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD"!  GOD IS IN "CONTROL", whether we live our lives like it or not.

There are only two kinds of people on the earth.  True enough, there are differing nationalities, differing sects, differing ancestries.  But when Judgement Day comes the only difference that will matter is who you let "CONTROL" your life here on earth.  You can reserve "CONTROL" over your own life, or you can give up "CONTROL" to the same GOD who won the Six Day War!