DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S MIGHTY ARMY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD'S MIGHTY ARMY

"Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was was still a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war…" (I Chronicles 12:1)

Who were these mighty men? Let's go back to Ziklag and find out. David was running from Saul to save his own life. He had 600 men with him (I Samuel 27:2). His plan was to go to Gath, a city of the Philistines. He thought it was safer to be with the Philistines than to remain in Saul's territory– even though it was the country where Goliath came from whom David had slain. And speaking of the 600 men with him, that is 200 more than he had earlier when he first went to Gath and sought refuge with Achish, the king of Gath. At that time, he had 400 men. And who were these men? Scripture tells us. "Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about 400 men with him" (I Samuel 22:1-2). What a bunch of losers who flocked to David.

Now, David has become king, and the 400 losers who were with him at the beginning have become mighty men. What caused the difference? I suggest that it was their leader. David, as a man of character, of bravery, of godliness, instilled in them a new heart. No longer were they the rag-tag rebellious dishonorable men who first came. Now they were disciplined warriors committed to a worthy endeavor.

A leader can instill things in people who follow so that they become new people of honor and integrity. That is what Jesus does in the lives of people who follow him. Take his disciples for example. They were a rag-tag bunch of rough fishermen, rebellious zealots, dishonest tax-collectors who were transformed by the power of God to be fearless witnesses doing spiritual battle for the kingdom.

God is still in the business of taking the weak and ignoble, and those in distress, and making them into mighty warriors. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many might, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are" (I Corinthians 1:26-28). That is the transforming power of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. We may not be mighty in the eyes of the world but we are a part of His army. We are God's people of valor.

Love, Dad