1 Chronicles 19-21 / Romans 2:25-3:8/ Psalm 11 / Proverbs 19:10-12
If you’re like me, you don’t want to go into a fight, disagreement, or scary situation alone. Maybe there are some who say they are fine standing up to a bully by themselves, but I prefer to have a buddy along – someone who is on my side, and someone who knows, loves, and will protect me!
The Old Testament kings were always at war with someone. They were at war with God’s people because they were inhabiting the land God had given to Israel’s descendants. The kings who had lived in the nations of the Promised Land had also been at war for years, trying to gain dominance, power, and wealth.
King David was one such man who was at war most of his adult life (and that is why God didn’t allow him to build the Temple). Some nation or another was either plotting an attack, forming an alliance against, or attacking God’s people. Thankfully, God was on His people’s side!
But David made a mistake – scripture says he sinned. In 1 Chronicles 21 David decided to take a census of his fighting men. Why was this a sin? I believe it was because David was taking note of his human resources by counting how many men he had who were ready to go into battle.
Over and over again, God answered His people and delivered them from the nations around them, and it didn’t make any difference who had more men in the battle. When the Lord is on your side and He has told you to fight, He intends to fight alongside you and bring a victory.
There was no need for David to assess his own strength because God had proven Himself strong and on David’s side many times. Maybe this was offensive to God – that David would depend on himself instead of depending on God. And how many times have we done exactly the same thing?
We prove we are not depending on God when we don’t go to Him first, asking for help. We prove we are relying on our own strength when we barrel ahead at the first sign of trouble. Even if there is an emergency that requires immediate attention, pray as you go or act. God will show up and give clarity, help and healing in the situation.
The way I see it we have three options for who to depend on in a tough situation. We can depend on ourselves and our own wisdom and strength, we can depend on our family and friends, or we can depend on God. Even when we choose to depend on God, we’ll have to take some course of action – even if God says, “Stand still and see My salvation!”
Standing still is an action… Prayer is also an action.
