Readings for today: 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalms 20, 53, 60, 75
I love these words of David from Psalms 20. “Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalms 20:6-7) David has just won significant victories over the Ammonites and Syrians. He has subdued their lands. Defeated their armies. Killed their generals. Historians of this particular time tell us David was a powerful warlord who took advantage of a power vacuum in the region to carve out his kingdom. Egypt, the dominant power for so long, was weak. Assyria and Babylon had yet to rise. As David wins victory after victory, he steps up to the postgame mic to give God all the glory.
It’s a good thing to ascribe to God all the glory for our successes in life. After all, He is the one who gave us our gifts and talents. He is the one who provides blessing and opportunity. We didn’t choose where we were born. We didn’t choose the family we were born into. So much of our success has nothing to do with us at all and so God rightly deserves all the praise. But what about when things go wrong? What about when tragedy strikes? What about the hard times that take us to the end of ourselves and beyond? David faced those times as well and still he praised God. Still he gave all the glory to God. Listen to what he writes in Psalm 60, “O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us…you have made your people see hard things; given us wine to drink that made us stagger…Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes.”
Years ago, a favorite coach of mine was running off the field after a big victory. His team had struggled for years. The losses had piled up. Many were calling for his job. A reporter chased him down and asked him what the key was to the victory. I still remember the coach’s reply, “God was with us in the victory today but He was also with us through every single defeat leading up to this point.” Wow! That’s a man who understands God! He gave God the glory for both his victories and defeats. His successes and failures. His high times and low times. He knew God was with him no matter what. What about you? Do you feel the same way? You may be experiencing a season of great blessing in your life right now. A season of success. A season where everything you touch seems to turn to gold. Or you may be experiencing loss. Tragedy. Struggle. Heartbreak. No matter what season you find yourself in, give God the glory. Trust Him for the journey. Believe He is with you and for you and will deliver those He loves!
Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 65-67, 69-70