Nuclear Deterrent
2 Chronicles 20:2-3 KJV
(2) Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
(3) And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
I recently went with my son to a new sporting goods store in town to check out the guns. Of course they had quite a selection from small BB or pellet guns to big double barrel shotguns and high powered rifles. Hunter quickly became enthralled with one of the semi-automatic 22s and is on a quest to do whatever he can to acquire it. Upon inquiring about what it would take to purchase a gun and license, though, I discovered that Texas laws make it very easy to obtain a gun and then use it, especially in your own defense. I was told that anyone unlawfully entering a home and posing a threat is a legal target for a home owner in possession of a gun. The invader doesn’t even have to be armed. At this particular store they even sold a small shotgun that is meant specifically for that purpose. Even though this might seem a bit drastic, for the person having to face someone who has broken in and may cause loss or harm, this weapon would be the one chosen over the pellet gun or even the high powered rifle with a scope. When you’re threatened it is so essential to know what you have in your arsenal and reach for the right weapon that will be most effective against a terrorizing foe.
Jehoshaphat most certainly had a military with horses, swords and other weapons available during that time, but there was a point he came to when he realized that his greatest efforts with all his weaponry and men would never be sufficient against an overwhelming invader. Their mere size and strength would render all his defenses meaningless. It was time to reach for the only hope for the moment, the only weapon crafted specifically for defense against this enemy. He set himself to seek the Lord, and not just by himself, but this became a joint effort of the nation as a whole. (What a refreshing and inspiring concept, especially for our nation at this time.) And, this would not just be a haphazard phrase cast sideways to the ‘man upstairs’. This seeking of the Lord would replace the ingestion of food to accentuate the sincerity of the focus and the intensity of the prayer. This would be more than just grabbing for a gun; this would be making sure it was loaded. Not only was it important to know that this option was available, but taking advantage of it with confidence revealed a lifestyle of dependence on the only real secure and faithful alternative. This king knew the King of kings and the One who could dictate an outcome no matter the odds or the poll numbers. His reach was not to some obscure ‘higher power’, but this was a reach that had been practiced and developed to the point of familiarity. Because He already knew how, He could quickly and efficiently avail himself to the nuclear deterrent, the defense that knew no significant opposition or weapon. He could be more than assured that His seeking would be rewarded.
We need not just be sitting around with a rusty BB gun upon the break-in of a threatening enemy. Though this invasion may include a size and strength that would more than overwhelm our natural defenses, we, as those who have a relationship with the Greater One, the Almighty God have a weapon we can reach for that has itself never been and will never be defeated. It will just need to be sought after in such a manner that equips it with the necessary power to be the faithful, impenetrable standard that is our God. Rather than just a worried and fearful lament from a hopeless soul at wits end, ours can be a confident advance to the arsenal of faith with an intensity that removes all other life requirements as precedence over this essential acquisition and utilization. This can be an action that is familiar, but with added focus as the object of our life’s worship becomes the answer to life’s dangers.
It seems that there are so many in our nation and world today that are attempting to thwart the schemes and onslaught of a devastating moral, economic and societal foe by means of inadequate and inferior natural means. I’m so grateful that from this natural response that is taking place all around we can turn and set our hearts and actions towards the only real deterrent to this otherwise inevitable fall. By seeking our God with an intensity and focus that reveals and accentuates a faith based upon a developed relationship, there can be a salty savor administered to the bland meal we’re being served and our nation can indeed yet hope in the Lord. Ours can be a home where no invader will have sufficient weaponry to overwhelm our defenses. We have reached for the Greater One.