This chapter includes Davids descendants, a mention of his new house (donated by a neighboring king), and two battles with the Philistines.
“And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley. And 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. And 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.’ ” (v13-15)
I really like this picture of God going out ahead of David, preparing the way and protecting Israel from what may have been certain defeat (the Philistine army was massive and powerful). Let’s look at a few more verses.
“For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Isa 52:12) “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron” (Isa 45:2)
God is a God of preparation – when He’s not going out ahead to guard or work on our behalf, He’s preparing a place for us in Heaven. He is constantly at work, and the best role model a ‘Scout’ could ask for (they have the motto ‘always be prepared’). He’s always one or more steps ahead of us, ensuring our journey is as smooth as possible (if you think life is hard now, imagine how terrible life would be if He didn’t prepare the way for us…).
My encouragement for today is my favorite of these verses: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deu 31:8) Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, our Lord and Savior walks the path ahead of us and will keep us from disaster, as long as we keep our eyes on Him.
Father God, our Mighty and Omniscient Guide, You are gracious and protective beyond measure. Father Your heart is to oversee and protect us like a parent guards their child, yet like a toddler with too much curiosity we can sometimes break free and run ahead. Father please help us to remain in your protective shadow, trusting Your pace is best, and trusting in Your guidance. May we honor, praise, worship and adore You, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training