2 Chronicles 32-33, John 18:19—40 Key Verses: 2 Chronicles 32:7—8
One of the most dreaded days in the life of parents is when their elementary-aged child brings
home a piece of paper that reads, “Science project.” Truth in advertising laws should apply and
the assignment be called what it is: “Parent/Child Cooperative Homework Assignment.” What
has been given to the child to do inevitably requires parental involvement.
The thing to avoid is either extreme. If it is done totally by the child, the project will probably
not meet the teacher’s expectation. If it is done totally by the parent, that’s obviously

unacceptable. In between is the holy grail of homework: parental involvement and student
participation. It is a “both/and,” not an “either/or,” situation.
The challenges we face in life should be approached with a “both/and” mentality. But in this
case, the two parts of meeting the challenge are not parent and child but you and God.
In Hezekiah's day, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded. Hezekiah prepared to be attacked. The
water supply was secured, the walls repaired, towers built and weapons and shields
manufactured. That was his part.
The other part of the defense was God’s. “There is a greater power with us than with him,”
Hezekiah said of Sennacherib. “With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our
God to help us and to fight our battles” (32:7-8).
“Either/or” was not enough. The people did not rely just on the “arm of flesh” or just on God. It
was “both/and.” They prepared and trusted God—an early “Praise the Lord and pass the
ammunition” approach, which needs to be our approach. Work and pray.
Do you trust just in what you can do, forgetting God? Or do you sit back waiting for God to do it
all? Determine to live in balance, not with an “either/or” mind-set but “both/and.” Work and
pray.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in