Today’s
Scripture Reading (April 12, 2019): 1
Chronicles 14
I am a relatively simple
person. When I find a way that works to get a job done, I usually stick to that
formula. After all, if it worked once, why wouldn’t it work again. And it often
seems too challenging to try to find a
second way to accomplish the task.
The problem in a changing world is that what worked yesterday,
might not work today. I began my ministry in a small town. When I made a move to the big city, partially because
of my success in my previous position, I was painfully aware that the
strategies that had worked before would not work again in vastly changed
surroundings. I had to change. Over the years, time
has forced me to change strategies again
and again. But there is a heavy emphasis on the word “forced.” I remain a
simple person. When I find a way that works, I stick to it until I am “forced”
by failure to find a different way.
David had been challenged by the Philistines. He enquired
of God as to what to do next. And God told him that if he confronted the Philistines head on, he would
win the battle. God would be with him. David did as God instructed and repelled
the raiding Philistines. But he did not destroy them. Just to be clear, David did not intend to destroy the Philistines. It was not his purpose in fighting them.
David simply accomplished the mission objectives. He stops the Philistines from
conducting their raid’s into areas held by the Tribes of Israel.
But the Philistines are persistent. They are also confident in the
military superiority over Israel and the other nations in the area. So the Philistines
try to attack Israel one more time. And David isn’t me. He enquires of God
again. And once again God gives the go ahead, but he changes the approach that
he wants David to take. Instead of a head-on
confrontation, God instructs David to encircle the raiding Philistines and to
attack them at a specific place. The reason for the change was likely that the
Philistines were expecting that Israel would attempt to repel them in the same
way that they had in the past. This time they would be ready for resistance
from David and his army. The change in tactic would increase the chances of
success and a further defeat of the Philistine military machine.
Neil T. Anderson argues that Satan is also simple. Once he finds a path into our lives, he will keep on using
that path and the same way of gaining access into our lives. God’s instructions
to us are often similar to those that he
gave to David. He instructs us to find various ways of thwarting the advance of
evil in our lives, rather than relying on just one path that has worked for us
in the past. As a result, we can be victorious over the evil around us, no
matter what form that evil might decide to take.
Tomorrow’s
Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 6
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