2 Chronicles 20:12  “Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (NIV)

—

How quick, or slow, are you to say, “I don’t know”? 

Once upon a time in my life, I was afraid to say, “I don’t know.” I thought I was supposed to know everything. I was supposed to have command of all the facts, processes, and procedures. I tried very hard to be a know-it-all. 

Please don’t judge me for this confession. 

It was a good, good day when I read something completely liberating that said, “One of the most intelligent things we can say is, ‘I don’t know.'” You and I don’t have to know it all. This points to the wonder of teamwork. Teams with complementary expertise can accomplish far more than one guy who thinks he knows it all. 

This is a lesson many people learned the hard way. It was a lesson I learned the hard way. And I’m glad I learned the lesson. I am much smarter, better, and faster when I collaborate with the amazing people in my family and at work.

Today’s verse is part of one of my favorite prayers in the Bible. The longer prayer begins in verse 6 and concludes with this statement.

King Jehoshaphat gives us a master course in prayer here. We pray best when we freely confess our limitations. The king freely confessed that God would have to take charge of the situation. He said, “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us.” 

Judah had an army, but that army had to be mustered from the cities and towns across the kingdom. There was no time to get there and back again, ready for battle, before the approaching army arrived. Judah was unprepared for war. 

The king then said, “We do not know what to do.” How many times could you have said this, or should you have said this? I should have said this many more times than I have. This confession comes easier to me now. This kind of praying leads to better results than faking it. 

The king finished his prayer by saying, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” The lesson? 

Look to God first. 

Look to God next. 

Look to God always. 

James 1:5 famously instructs us to ask God for wisdom when we need it. It tells us that he gives it generously and ungrudgingly. We see how true this is in this story from 2nd Chronicles. The king prayed, “We don’t know what to do.” God heard and answered that prayer with clear direction. (See verses 14-17.) God then did what only He could do. 

The best prayer you may ever pray may well be shaped like this prayer. Never be embarrassed to confess your weakness and dependence on God. Never be too proud to say, “I don’t know.” Always be ready to say, “My eyes are on you.” 

—

I will trust God to know what I do not and do what I cannot. 

—

Our Father, my limitations are ever more apparent to me. Thank you for this gift. Thank you that your provision is always greater than my need. Thank you for teaching me to get out of your way. Thank you for doing for me what only you can do. Thank you for hearing and answering desperate prayers like this one. Thank you that we don’t have to know at all. Instead, we get to know you, the Creator of all things, the Judge of All the Earth who always does what is right, just, and fair. What a delight to belong to you! Amen.