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Dig a Ditch
Hard packed earth. Crusty surfaces, resistant to water, dry and dusty. No sign of rain or relief. Thirsty people and animals. A large force arrayed against us. And of course the ever present people telling us that the need is too great, the situation too dire, that there is nothing we can do . . . the outcome pretty hopeless.
Of course there is the LORD.
But then, we have to be practical about such things, right? We live in a fallen world, so those sentiments we think about in worship can't really be applied to the real world, the way things really are . . . or can they?
In the midst of these thoughts like these, in 2 Kings 3, Jehoshaphat asks a very important question - "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?" That is the kind of question that can change everything.
There are a number of things going on in this story to take note of.
One of these is that Jehoshaphat honors his commitment to his neighbors, even though they did not always see things quite the same way.
Another is that this willingness to be along side of others provided an opportunity for Jehoshaphat to share a perspective that the other kings did not have.
This provided a way for a king who normally did not turn to God, to change his perspective and approach.
God invites them to act in expectation of God acting - to dig
Perhaps to the surprise of the skeptics, God responds and acts.
As a result, some amazing things happened.
This is the story that Kathy McMillan unfolds for us as she invites us to consider what it is that God may be inviting us to do. One ditch we are being invited to dig as a church is that which would supply a shelter for those in need. God may be inviting you to become of a part of this, or perhaps there is some other area of digging that you are being invited get involved in. Perhaps it is time to ask and to listen?
If you would like to listen to the sermon once again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.
2 Kings 3 (TNIV)
1 Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
4 Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?”
“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
8 “By what route shall we attack?” he asked.
“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.
9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.
10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the LORD called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?”
An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”
“No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the LORD who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”
14 Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. 15 But now bring me a harpist.”
While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came on Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. 17 For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. 19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
As you take a few moments to inquire of the LORD, where are the places that you sense you are being invited to dig?How will you begin digging?When will you begin?
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