Dead End Desperation Week 3: Tuesday

"But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.” One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.” 2 Kings 3:11

I was not born with a strong sense of direction. As a result, I rely on a GPS to get me almost everywhere. Maybe you, too, can relate. One thing I have found when I use my GPS is that to get to my desired location; I have to actually go in the direction my GPS tells me to go. For example, although my GPS tells me to take a left turn, I will not end up at my desired location if I miss my turn or turn right instead. Of course, this is a rather obvious realization, but it is a good reminder that we ultimately choose where to turn, both in driving and in life. When we are in a desperate situation, we all turn somewhere. Where we turn in desperate situations makes all the difference.

We are studying 2 Kings 3 this week, a story of when three kings found themselves in a situation where they were desperate. The kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom came together with their armies to confront the king of Moab for insulting Joram, the King of Israel. The path they took to reach the king of Moab was through the desert. Everything was fine until, after seven days, they found themselves without water. In our study yesterday, we saw that Joram panicked. He thought that God would let them be taken over by the king of Moab right there. He panicked until the king of Judah reminded him where to turn. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah at the time, said to him, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him” (verse 10). King Jehosaphat reminded King Joram and the rest of the men with them to use this situation to turn to God. This reminder may seem unnecessary, but you and I both know that when we are in desperate situations, it is easy to forget to turn to God, and the temptation to turn to other places is strong. At King Jehoshaphat's suggestion, they called for Elisha to speak to them on behalf of God and instruct them on what to do.

King Jehoshaphat’s suggestion to turn to God is not just for Joram. It is for you and me, too. In the middle of our desperate situations, we have to decide where to turn. We can turn to other people or our own devices, but these things will fall short. Only One is worthy of turning to, and that is God. Will you turn to Him today? 

Moving toward action

What desperate situation are you facing today? Your desperate situation may be in your finances, your health, or one of your relationships. Whatever situation you are currently facing, bring it to God, your Heavenly Father, who cares desperately for you. He will guide you and be with you the whole way through. 

Going Deeper

2 Kings 3:11-15 (NLT)