The Children Were There When the King Said He Did Not Know

Neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

2 Chronicles 20:12

Read 2 Chronicles 20. Focus on verses 5 through 17 and 20 through 22. Judah stands before the Lord with little ones, wives, and children. Jehoshaphat prays in their presence and admits that they do not know what to do. The king has not brought his people together to display certainty he does not possess. His prayer is not empty panic. He remembers God's rule, God's gift of the land, and the earlier dedication prayer. He names the present threat and asks for judgment. Yet all that remembered truth does not require him to pretend he already knows the next instruction. God answers through Jahaziel. Judah receives a specific word about this battle, and the people respond with worship. The singers later go before the army, praising God's enduring mercy. Their singing answers the word they have been given. It is not a technique that makes any desired outcome inevitable. For families, the gathering offers another kind of instruction. The children witness need being spoken honestly to God. They see adults who are afraid and still know where to turn. No one has to confuse responsible leadership with possession of every answer. Adults sometimes believe that people depending on them must never hear uncertainty. We speak too confidently about a situation we barely understand. We promise that everything will be fine because we want to remove the fear from the room. If events change, the people we meant to reassure must also sort through the promise we could not keep. There is a better kind of steadiness. We can say what we know, what we are doing, and what remains uncertain. We can pray without making the listener responsible for comforting us. Children do not need every adult worry placed on their shoulders, but they can learn that uncertainty is something faithful people bring to God. An ordinary household might say, “We do not know the schedule yet. We will tell you when we do. Tonight we have what we need, and we can ask God for help with tomorrow.” That is different from either a false guarantee or uncontrolled fear. Jehoshaphat's honesty is surrounded by remembered truth and shared prayer. Let your own uncertainty have that setting. Someone watching you may be learning how to live when knowing God is real and knowing the next answer is not yet possible. Put It into Practice Explain one uncertain situation in appropriate terms to someone affected by it. Separate what is known from what is pending, and name the next practical update they can expect.

What have you promised to settle another person's fear when you could more honestly offer presence, information, and prayer?

Lord over what I cannot yet understand, teach me to speak uncertainty with steadiness. Guard those who depend on me from promises I cannot make and fears they should not carry. Let them see honest reliance on you. Amen.