Saved from attack

Elise L. Moore

What can you do if you find yourself in a situation that is very frightening—not like being scared of the dark or worried about school, but a situation where you are being threatened by another person, and you feel helpless? This happened to me when I was in fourth grade. I was saved from a dangerous predicament through listening to and obeying God. But to understand how I was kept safe, I need to tell you about one of my favorite Bible characters.

My dad used to tell me bedtime stories that he made up about two little dogs. One of the dogs was very fat and always getting into trouble. The other was very skinny and always saving his friend. My dad called the dogs Gee-hosh-a-fat and Gee-hosh-a-skinny. Later I realized that Gee-hosh-a-fat, or Jehoshaphat (as the Bible records it), was actually the name of a wonderful king in the Old Testament. King Jehoshaphat wasn't at all like the selfish puppy in my dad's stories. He was consistently faithful to God. The king turned to God, listened carefully for guidance, and then obeyed His direction.

The Bible tells us that at one time several armies joined together to attack King Jehoshaphat and his people, also known as the kingdom of Judah (see II Chron. 20:1–30). The people of Judah were greatly outnumbered and very afraid. Jehoshaphat called them together to pray—men, women, and children. They turned to God and listened as the king asked God for His protection.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Letters

Letters to the Press—and other articles