Date: February 16, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 40
“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” (Ps 144:1NIV)
All kinds of wonderful things are reported in the bible about David’s exploits. First, we are told of how he killed a lion and a bear while taking care of his father’s sheep. Then we are told of how he killed that warrior-giant, Goliath, with just a sling and a stone. Also, we are told of how he never lost a battle or war, since he began to lead the armies of Israel in their campaigns. He was, in short, such a great warrior and warlord that even God testified that he shed much blood on the earth.
But how did a shepherd boy like him grow up to become as skillful and talented as he was in matters of warfare? He answers this question for us in our opening bible text. There he tells us that it was God Himself that trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle. That means he got his warfare skills and abilities through the blessings of God. Yes, he too must have subjected himself to thorough discipline, training and education in war matters. But if God had not blessed him with the abilities to comprehend warfare and to fight and win, all his devotion to training himself in the art of warfare would not have amount to anything.
Now one may wonder and ask, “But why would God make a young man like David a talented killer and warlord?” Well, it was to save and protect His people, the nation of Israel from their enemies. Remember that he did something similar with Samson. He gave him supernatural strength and abilities to kill for the protection of His people. And He still acts in similar ways today. I mean that He still gives people special abilities to create things or systems or to acquire skills and education useful and relevant in war matters in order to protect their nations. So, those nations that are now seen as world powers are what they are because they have been gifted by God with individuals who have special abilities for warfare and who are also willing to use those abilities to keep their nations safe.
But then, it is not only in war matters that God enables people to be outstanding in life. He equally enables people in other areas of life to become outstanding. In fact, there is no aspect of life in which God is not able to empower people with abilities that will make them outstanding enough to bless those in their world. For example, as we are equally told in the bible, David was not just a skilful killer and warlord, he was also a great psalmist, musician, organiser, leader and architect.
Just consider some of the things said about him in the following bible texts:
“These are the last words of David “The oracle of David son of Jesse the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs…”” (2Sam 23:1NIV)
“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” (Ps 78:72NIV)
“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.” (1Chron 28:11-14NIV)
“All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.”” (1Chron 28:19NIV)
Now since God was able to make David outstanding in these various areas of life, He is also able to do the same for you and me. He is able to empower us with the abilities and aptitudes we need to acquire skills, training and (or) education that will make us outstanding in one or more fields of life. But first, we too, like David, will need to love and trust Him with all our hearts, knowing that we cannot accomplish anything apart from Him. That way, He can guide us into those fields of life where He wants to use us, for it is in those fields of life where He wants to use us that He will make us outstanding. (Cf. John 15:5; 2Cor 3:5-6)
Second, we need to rid our lives of laziness and yield ourselves to get the necessary training, discipline or education to become outstanding. If we are lazy in our minds or in culture, it does not matter how blessed of God we are, we will never be outstanding in life. Instead, it is people with lesser abilities and skills that will take the places meant for us.
Third, we need to cultivate the right mentality, the mentality of the man God makes outstanding. And who does He make outstanding in life? It is that person that is always seeking to use the abilities He has blessed him with to do those in his life or world good. So, if we are always seeking to do others good or make life better for them with the abilities God has given us, however small or insignificant those abilities may be, He will certainly empower us to become outstanding with them. Then, someday, people will adore us for standing out in life as special with professions, abilities or skills that many consider as ordinary or useless.
My prayer, then, is that God will work out in your life all that is required by Him to make you outstanding with His gifts in your life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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