2 Samuel 10:9-12 - When Joab saw that the front of the battle was
against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and
put them in array against the Syrians: And the rest of the people he delivered into
the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children
of Ammon. And he said , If the Syrians
be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be
too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. Be of good courage , and let us play the men
for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth
him good.
The Ammonite king had died…and left his son to rule his land….and
since his father was kind to David…he sent a group of men to pay respect to the
son. The new ruler made the mistake of
listening to some of the men in the city who thought they had come to spy out
the town…so he shaved half of their beards off…and cut the hem of their
garments high enough to expose their butts. It was an act that merited war
between the lands….and the Ammonites were so scared that they employed the help
of the neighboring Syrians.
David’s two military leaders were faced with a great army….so
they split up…and vowed to help each other if the battle in either area got to
difficult. Their teamwork ..and words of
courage as they prepared for a difficult battle… model for us the way we should
tackle all our problems…with the support and help of friends. The commentary in my Life Application Bible called
it …”a spirit of interdependency.”
The spirit they carried in their hearts that day also
included a sense of trust in God’s plan.
When Joab spoke to his brother Abishai that day…he said…. “Be of good courage
, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and
the LORD do that which seemeth him good.”
Joab understood that God was in control of the fight that day…and was
ready to accept whatever outcome he deemed best.
I understand the power of teamwork…and am so thankful that
God has placed around me wonderful friends to help me when I need it…but ….oh
how I need a dose of Joab’s and Abishai’s
spirit of trust and courage. Complete
trust in the unseen plan of God is so hard…. and I will admit that I battle with
it daily. It is easier since I began
reading and studying the great Bible he left us all to search for directions to
anything we face…he seems to place just the right verse of power and comfort in
my heart when I am struggling the most.
Maybe that was Joab’s secret too…he remembered the great words of Moses
recorded in Dueteronomy 31:6… “So be
strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the
Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor
abandon you.”
Father...I come this morning in awe of your power to comfort
and heal me the last three years. I
thank you for guiding my heart to cling to your precious Bible for my answers…and
begin to let its words be engraved on my heart.
Help me to stop every time I am tempted…or faced with a hard decision to
trust you and ask you to help me recall just the right verses to give me
comfort or direction. I thank you for
the wonderful tools of technology that help me study and learn more about your
word…and then process what way I need to apply it to my life each day. Help me to always keep these great words of
Joab foremost in my mind…..help me to always be of good courage…..and trust in
your great unseen plan for my life…that you have promised to prosper me…and
give me the goodness of your love….to fulfill your will and purpose for my life. Amen
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