Monday, August 15 - Jody

Today's reading from the Chronological OT/NT Reading Plan is: 1 Chronicles 13-15, 1 Corinthians 9
Happy Monday Everyone! I am just soaking this summer in, never wanting it to end! I hope you all had a great weekend.

Today I want to focus on 1 Chronicles 14:8-17.

 The Philistines came to raid the Valley of Rephraim and verse 10 tells us:

¹⁰And David inquired of God, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, and I will give them into your hand."

Sure enough, God delivers the Philistines into Davids hands as he follows the direct orders of God. Then, don't ya know it, they try again! And verse 14 tells us that David goes back to God to inquire what God would have him do. I admire this in David. He could have easily assumed that he should go up against them again - just like last time - and not even ask what God would have him do, but expect victory just the same. As it turns out, God has a different set of instructions for him this time.

¹⁴And when David again inquired of God, God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees. ¹⁵And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines." ¹⁶And David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 

I love how verse 16 states simply - And David did as God commanded him. It does NOT say , "And David asked, God - are you sure? This isn't how we did it last time? Last time worked - remember? Shouldn't we just stick with Plan A?? We know that one."

Also, notice that in this battle, God goes before David's army to strike the Philistines down. I think this is important for 2 reasons.
#1 - God is protecting David and his men by paving the way.
#2 - God is taking the glory for the victory, ensuring David does not become proud of HIS successful war efforts. This second victory was clearly Gods.

Even though both victories were given over by God, it would be a prideful temptation for David to overtake the Philistine army 2 times in a row, and I believe God's actions in this second battle protect David both physically and mentally.

God does not set us up for failure. He directs us to success in Him. We can rest in that. We can trust in that as we follow wherever he leads us.

Have a blessed week everyone!!

Tomorrow's passage: 1 Chronicles 16, Psalm 42, Psalm 44, 1 Corinthians 10:1-18