Putting Your Life in the Lord’s Hands: A Devotional

Judges 12: 1-3 The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.” Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands. ³ When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”

Too often, we trust others to save us from the struggles and trials in our lives. We call on friends who failed us before, believing they will answer us “this time.” Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel, called on the Ephraimites for help in the struggle against the Ammonites, and the Ephraimites didn’t come to their rescue. Therefore, Jephthah and his armies fought the battle alone, trusting that the Lord would give them victory, which He did. Instead of apologizing for not being of help, the Ephraimite threatened Jephthah for going to battle without them.

This is how some people are today. You ask for their help and they never answer. But when you step out in faith without them, they become indignant and make it seem as if you are at fault rather than they failed a friend. Sometimes, we must put our lives in the Lord’s hands, asking Him for help, for He will not forsake or abandon us in times of trouble. I had the bad habit of calling my friends to discuss my trials, wanting to hear from them before deciding what action to take. Of course, they never agreed on any action, so I had to learn to put my life in the hands of God, for He created the world, and there is no trial or struggle that He has not seen or solved.

Instead of putting our lives in the hands of other humans who often don’t know the answers, let us begin with asking the Lord for assistance through prayer and faith. Psalm 146:3-5 reminds us, “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God.“

Amen.