DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-25
WRITTEN AT: Live Oak, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 14:9-11; 13-14;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 The Philistines arrived and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. 10 So David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” 11 So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” ….  13 … after a while the Philistines returned and raided the valley again. 14 And once again David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.

APPLICATION: I found it interesting that within just a few verses, God chose to show us that there are times when He will agree with our decisions, but also times when He will not – due to circumcisions beyond our ability to know or understand. What then is our responsibility in these scenarios? I believe it is important for us to first of all remind ourselves why we seek the face of God in the first place. If we know what needs to be done, and we feel empowered to carry out the necessary actions, then why seek God’s approval? Fortunately, our scenarios fall into the same category as our tomorrows, and a song was written to help remind us exactly who knows about tomorrow. Listen to that song while you meditate on the remainder of this devotional – I don’t know about tomorrow! If we know there will be a ‘tomorrow’, and if we know what will transpire tomorrow, then we can say precisely what we will do tomorrow. If we knew that, unlike this story of David, God would always agree with our decisions, then we could feel safe and secure in proceeding into tomorrow as we decide to. If we knew that there was no one, or anything out there bigger or more powerful than us, then we would feel honored to tell our servants, armies or helpers to proceed with the actions we command. But the mentioned ‘if statements’ are huge, and something we will never know for certain. You see, David knew that no matter how close he was to God, he still couldn’t take God’s place in knowing whether he and his army could win over the Philistines or whether this was the right time to enter into battle against them. He remembered that it was from the Philistines that the giant came and held back a whole army of men. David was also smart enough to know that because God agreed for him to fight the Philistines, and win the battle at Baal-perazim, that God didn’t also give him approval to go into battle in the Valley at a later date, knowing that the same approval was still good for that battle. God gives permission for us to proceed with a request at the time, and for the purpose of our request, only. For we could never handle knowing what tomorrow will bring. At work, new circumstances will require new approval under the current circumstances. So, it is with God. I believe it is evident that David was under no pressure or worrying himself to death, when he sought God’s approval to battle with the Philistines. And while this could speak volumes to our daily decisions, my heart became burdened for our leaders as I read this account. Not just political leaders, but think of parents, teachers, pastors, youth leaders, local government officials and yes, parliamentary and national government leaders. What if we elected leaders who would study the effect of David’s practices and follow his lead in seeking the face of God, before making decisions – many of which are being made blindly, with no idea of what impact the decisions would have on their subjects. Perhaps this is why the Word of God states ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you’. What if we had that phrase as our national motto that all leaders and subjects will follow? I bet we will gain the respect of all other nations, for they will recognize that our leader is God Almighty! But let’s start at the very beginning – who is your personal leader? Our national leaders will only practice what they believed and practiced in their prime years of life, If God was their leader in their youth, then they will lightly look to Him as an adult and as a leader of many.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Take it to the Lord in prayer. As we do, we can relax and expect His decision to guide us into all truth and every success of life!

PRAYER: At the dawn of another day, we approach Your throne knowing that we want to accomplish a lot today, but in our own power we know that ‘man plans and God laughs’, because we have no idea what today or tomorrow holds. So Lord, I believe that my readers and listeners will gladly join with me in asking that You guide us in the path You would have us go today where the greatest impact may occur for Your kingdom’s sake. Without Christ, we are no different to all other men. But in the power, wisdom and truth of our Lord and Savior, we can proceed knowing that greater is He that is in our hearts than he that is in the world. You’ve got the whole world in Your hands, please help us to enter into that world knowing that you’re in control and that we must follow Your commands and Your directions so that we might accomplish Your will. As we pray for our leaders, may our families, churches, cities and our nation become stronger as a result of allowing You to guide and direct, and may Your people live in peace until You call us home to our final home with You and the Father! AMEN!