“Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
1 Chronicles 19:13
The Israelite army was facing an overwhelming force. They were outnumbered and at a tremendous technological disadvantage; the enemy had 32,000 chariots! They were surrounded, pinned down, and being attacked from two different directions.
It was a humanly impossible situation. There was no guarantee of success. There was a high likelihood that they would be annihilated, which would leave their cities and their families to be overrun and enslaved.
At that point, the two Generals of Israel, Joab and his brother, Abishai, held a strategic planning session. They divided their forces to face the enemy the best they could on two fronts and concluded with this statement. “Be strong... and may the Lord do what seems good to Him.“
Have you ever been told, “It’s all in God’s hands, now?” For many, it’s a way of saying “we’re out of ideas and all that’s left is to await the inevitable.“ But for the believer, it isn’t a passive statement of resignation...but a declaration of faith.
We know that it was all in God’s hands from the very beginning. We’re not saying that we are giving up and passively waiting; we are doing all we can but recognizing as we do it that God has His plan and His purpose and we can trust Him with the outcome.
We said this about our granddaughter: the Lord gave us seven more years with her against all reason, and did wonderful things through her life before He took her Home. My brother said the same thing this week, after the surgeon told him that the likelihood of his not making it through the procedure were “9.5 out of 10.” He’s still here, praise God!
What are the odds of God turning our nation around from its current path of self-destruction? The answer is in this verse. Read it again!
Lord God, You are “in everything working for the good of those who love You, who are called according to Your purpose.” My times are in Your hands. Strengthen me as I serve, and keep my eyes on You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Dan Giles
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