Dogs seem to know something that we humans often don't. When a dog gets into a fight with another dog and is being overpowered and realizes it cannot win the fight the dog sends out a signal that it surrenders and submits by lying down at the other dog's feet, baring its throat and belly to the attacking dog above it. Though in this position it could get seriously hurt, interestingly the other dog reading the signal spares the dog that is submitting. It is this same submissive attitude that God can work with. But all too often we prefer to fight and troubleshoot in our own strength. Though we are called to step out in faith for God, it is as vessels and not in our own strength. This is not an easy lesson to learn, and often we don't learn it until we find ourselves completely helpless with no other options available.

In today's reading we see a number of good kings of Judah in Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat. But their power and success vs. their failures rested solely on whether they acted in their own strength or God's strength. We see in 2 Chronicles 13, that the armies of Israel (the ten northern tribes) had completely surrounded the army of Judah and were outnumbered two to one. We read the response of Abijah in 13:14-15, "And when Judah looked around to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah." Though in an impossible situation, Abijah learned what is written in Romans 8:31, "What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?" The next king is approached by Azariah filled with the Spirit of God, who tells Asa, in 15:2, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." We see Asa do the right thing when confronted with a huge army of Ethiopians in 14:11, "And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, "Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!" The result was victory. But years later when attacked by the northern tribes of Israel, rather than relying on God, Asa instead makes a treaty with Syria. We see God's response to this in 16:8-9, "Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hands. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

It really is a choice we must make continuously. Are we going to face each day in our own puny strength and ingenuity, or are we going to face each day in His strength as willing vessels. God desires to show His strength on our behalf, and "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro" watching for those vessels through whom He can display His power. In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul rightly concludes, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul realized when he was stretched beyond his abilities, that was when he witnessed the true power of God in his circumstances. We read in James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...". If we want to see His power, it is time to get off our own thrones and release ourselves to Him. This releasing is a process, as Corrie Ten Boom realized when she said, "I have learned to hold everything loosely. That way it doesn't hurt when God takes them from me. This releasing process is for our own good, but we may not realize it at first as we go through our various trials. But as we release, God will show Himself powerful in and through our lives.