God Goes With Us!
Reading: Deuteronomy 20, 21
My Verse: "Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them for the LORD your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory" (20:3,4).
These are sweet words - words that show how much You care for us, LORD God. You care if we are afraid, if we have plans and dreams, if we are ready to meet You! Your love and providence shines through in this passage.
First, You tell us to not be afraid for You are with us. You will give us the victory no matter what the odds are of us coming through the battle! I do like that. Too often we spend time analyzing all the possibilities of victory of getting through a problem intact. To some extent this is good because we are preparing ourselves but we must, must remember that You are our Saviour. We must remember that victory depends solely on You. Help me in this LORD God. When I am struggling with a problem I tend to forget that. I get caught up in the struggle. Help me to keep my eyes on You, knowing and trusting that You will guide me. You will show me clearly if I am even to enter into the fray.
I really like how You direct the officers to weed out those that should not go to battle. You tell them to send home those that have just bought a house, planted a vineyard, or married a wife. It is understood that these are not ready for battle and so should not be in the army. This not only shows how we need to be ever sensitive to You, LORD God as to what battle we are to take on. It also shows that there should be no shame in it - in not participating. So often the pressure to take part in something that seems good is so strong and one does so even if it doesn't feel right to that person. Thank You, LORD God for this teaching here.
Then You tell the officers further, "Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own" (20:8). How wonderful this is. I am reminded of how during WWI, Britian had this policy of shooting anyone of their own soldiers if he panicked and tried to flee. What a tragic policy! According to these directions, those soldiers should not even have been in the battle, they were not fit for it. Not everyone is cut out to be a soldier. You know this and made provision for it. This also brings to light that being "fearful and fainthearted" is actually being disobedient to You. Those that are in this state of mind have not come to trust You fully with their lives. Because they are disobedient in this way You do not want them in Your army. Not only is it not good for that person neither is it good for those around that person, as they will be infected by his unbelief - his fear.
What a good lesson for me. How I need to be ever vigilant in my walk with You. I need to be constantly tuned in to Your leading and guiding in my life. Only, You, LORD God are my confidence because You go with me "to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory."
"So we can confidently say, 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me" (Hebrews 13:6)?
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
Reading: Deuteronomy 20, 21
My Verse: "Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them for the LORD your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory" (20:3,4).
These are sweet words - words that show how much You care for us, LORD God. You care if we are afraid, if we have plans and dreams, if we are ready to meet You! Your love and providence shines through in this passage.
First, You tell us to not be afraid for You are with us. You will give us the victory no matter what the odds are of us coming through the battle! I do like that. Too often we spend time analyzing all the possibilities of victory of getting through a problem intact. To some extent this is good because we are preparing ourselves but we must, must remember that You are our Saviour. We must remember that victory depends solely on You. Help me in this LORD God. When I am struggling with a problem I tend to forget that. I get caught up in the struggle. Help me to keep my eyes on You, knowing and trusting that You will guide me. You will show me clearly if I am even to enter into the fray.
I really like how You direct the officers to weed out those that should not go to battle. You tell them to send home those that have just bought a house, planted a vineyard, or married a wife. It is understood that these are not ready for battle and so should not be in the army. This not only shows how we need to be ever sensitive to You, LORD God as to what battle we are to take on. It also shows that there should be no shame in it - in not participating. So often the pressure to take part in something that seems good is so strong and one does so even if it doesn't feel right to that person. Thank You, LORD God for this teaching here.
Then You tell the officers further, "Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own" (20:8). How wonderful this is. I am reminded of how during WWI, Britian had this policy of shooting anyone of their own soldiers if he panicked and tried to flee. What a tragic policy! According to these directions, those soldiers should not even have been in the battle, they were not fit for it. Not everyone is cut out to be a soldier. You know this and made provision for it. This also brings to light that being "fearful and fainthearted" is actually being disobedient to You. Those that are in this state of mind have not come to trust You fully with their lives. Because they are disobedient in this way You do not want them in Your army. Not only is it not good for that person neither is it good for those around that person, as they will be infected by his unbelief - his fear.
What a good lesson for me. How I need to be ever vigilant in my walk with You. I need to be constantly tuned in to Your leading and guiding in my life. Only, You, LORD God are my confidence because You go with me "to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory."
"So we can confidently say, 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me" (Hebrews 13:6)?
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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