and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ 2 Chr 20:6-9
How do we pray? Do we appeal to God based on how good or deserving we are? Or do we appeal to God for His righteousness and our utter helplessness?
Jehoshaphat appealed to God as the God ruling over all the kingdoms of the nations in heaven. He appealed to the “reputation” of the name of God who gave that land to His people. And God heard his prayer.
How do we pray? What is our motivation in prayer? How do we view God as we pray? Let us learn from Jehoshaphat whose prayer was answered.