The Grace Found in “Once Again”

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. – 2 Chronicles 19.4

Two words that can be overlooked. Two words that seem insignificant with regard to life change and transformation. Two words that we wouldn’t highlight or underline in our Bibles because other things stand out more. Two words that simply help build up the narrative when we glance over them to get to the main point. But these two words are the main point here.

Jehoshaphat was rescued by the Lord when the armies of Aram mistook him to be the king of Israel during battle. The chariot commanders of Aram had been commanded by the king of Aram to “not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel” (2 Chronicles 18.30, CSB). King Ahab of Israel disguised himself but told Jehoshaphat to wear his royal attire, which caused the chariot commanders to pursue Jehoshaphat, mistaking him for the king of Israel. “’He must be the king of Israel!’ So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him. When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him” (2 Chronicles 18.31-32, CSB).

So, when Jehoshaphat returned home to Jerusalem, he was confronted by the seer Hanani. He said to him, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the LORD’s wrath is on you. However, some good is found in you, for you have eradicated the Asherah poles from the land and have determined in your heart to seek God” (2 Chronicles 19.2-3, CSB). Jehoshaphat shouldn’t have been in the battle in partnership with King Ahab in the first place. God was not pleased with him for his lapse in judgment but was still with him. God still saw “some good” in him, recognizing the reforms that Jehoshaphat had brought to Judah and his determination to seek the heart of God.

Can you imagine if God finished his message to Jehoshaphat through Hanani by telling him that the wrath of God was on him? What would he do after such a strong rebuke? Jehoshaphat was one of the rare kings in the history of Israel or Judah who determined to seek the heart of God and to obey his will. But in this moment, God’s frustration with him was conveyed. And yet, God’s favor was still on him. And God made sure that Hanani told Jehoshaphat about this, which moved Jehoshaphat back into the work he had been doing for the glory of God before.

Above, I mentioned two words that can’t be overlooked. Here they are:

“Once again.”

How do we respond to the rebuke and correction of the Lord? When the Lord has to “call us to the mat” and confront us in our sin and poor judgment, how do we react? Do we wallow in self-condemnation because we messed up? Do we allow shame to shackle our souls and steal our joy of knowing and following Jesus? Do we receive it with unimpressed apathy because we aren’t interested in moving further away from our sin? Or do we humbly receive the rebuke from the Lord and “once again” get back to what we know to do?

“Once again” is grace. It’s a phrase that conveys a contrite heart that confesses and repents from sin and receives God’s forgiveness. It shouts that our mistakes are not the last word in our stories with the Lord. It preaches the beauty of God’s mercies, which are new every morning (Lamentations 3.22-23). And it describes a tenacity to get back to the work that the Lord has given us. It’s not a phrase that takes advantage of God’s grace. Instead, it’s a phrase that recognizes, receives, applies, and appreciates the grace of God that then moves us to engage in the works that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2.10).

Is it time for you to “once again”? O, how I pray that you will “once again” confess, repent, and move back into deep, intimate fellowship with Jesus and that you would engage in the work he has for you to do with him.

Father, would you please help us live out our “once again”? Would you help us receive your gracious invitation to get back to what you have called us to do? And would you help us not to remain imprisoned by our mistakes but instead to be liberated and freed to live in the joy, beauty, and wonder of your grace and mercy toward us? Thank you for “once again” opportunities. Thank you for being so faithful to us. And thank you that our sin is not the end of your story for us.