Fear can grip you

Ever been in a corner that you could not get out of? Great fear could come upon you. Physically you feel weak. I have been in these situations before. I just shared one experience yesterday when the company I was running was being investigated for company law infringements. Praise the Lord everything was in good order and we got our company files back. Jerusalem was about to be attacked.

2 Kings 12:17, Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

Joash was so gripped with fear that without any recorded consultation he took all the expensive and important things in the house and gave it to the King of Syria to appease him.

2 Kings 12:18, And Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and in the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

This must have been a great loss for the people of Israel. What could the king have done differently? He could have sought the Lord for wisdom. He could have called for a period fasting and prayer. He could have checked to make sure that no one in the kingdom was doing things against God's ways.

Father, help me respond to fear the right way. Your way!

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