Then on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for it was there that they blessed the Lord. For that reason they named that place “The Valley of Beracah (blessing)” until today.
2 Chronicles 20:26
I always remember that first year at our camp with joy and awe. Just a few days before the camp, we felt like King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” I often feel that way in my life. It was as if I had come to a dead end. I don’t know how to proceed. The battles in front of me seem so great that I feel paralyzed. We all feel that way sometimes. There are battles ahead of us to win, whether it’s for our children, with an illness, our finances, broken relationships, our marriage, addictions, rejections…
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat found himself in a hopeless situation. A fight was in front of him that he could not win. He was scared, but the first thing he did was cry out to God and ask him for help. Not only did he, but he declared a fast and called the whole nation to prayer. When the people unite in prayer, the answer comes quickly. The Spirit of God told them not to be afraid and that the battle before them was not theirs but God’s. And indeed, Judah’s enemies were defeated, and the Judeans did not even participate in the battle, they only collected the spoils. That’s how we felt that first year of the camp, as if God had brought us after winning the battle with the enemy over organization, money, volunteers… to just come and collect the riches he had prepared for us during the three weeks of the camp. [that’s why we named our camp Emek Beraka – even today it is a valley where his blessings are abundantly poured on us].
That first camp is an important reminder for me, and after that, I experienced this many times in my life. When I cry out to him, when I tell him that I don’t know where to turn, and when I praise him for who he is, he always shows me that he is Emmanuel, God with me who fights for me.
Today, if there is a battle ahead of you, allow God, just as he fought for Juda, to fight for you! Whatever struggle you face, know that you are not alone. Give it to God and watch and marvel at how his mighty hand will deliver you.