Divine Flashbangs

I love it when God blows my mind through His Word.  Have you ever seen a war movie when flashbangs are thrown into bunkers to disorient the enemy?  It's like I'm down in the dark bunker, and God just drops a single verse which explodes with light that dazzles and amazes.  Instead of displacing dirt or confusing me, God's Word brings clarity as He continues to erode the natural way I think and gives me God's perspective on practical matters.  God's wisdom is so foreign, but my soul cheers to own and live it out myself.  Keep 'em coming, LORD Jesus!

Last night I read 1 Chronicles 12:16-17 and all I could say was "Wow!"  The verse reads, "Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. ¹⁷ And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment."  Like most people familiar with a language, halfway through a sentence most of the time our brains can complete the rest of the sentence with a fair amount of accuracy.  I am reminded I wrote once of this in a previous post about the danger of finishing God's sentences.  As I read David's words, it was easy for me to know what flesh would want to say.  "If you are my friend, I will be yours.  But if you choose to be my enemy, I..."  You can fill in the blanks.

David, however, didn't finish his sentence the way I expected.  He said, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment."  David affirmed he would be united to those who genuinely, peaceably came to him.  Should they betray or seek to hurt him, David looked to God alone to sort that out.  David trusted his God would see any evil and mete out judgment according to His righteousness.  David was a man of faith, and this statement reveals how David committed his hurts and those who hurt Him to God - without feeling the need to retaliate.  This perspective of trust in God is amazingly practical and a key to avoiding bitterness and walking in love towards all.

Today I had the very rare opportunity to play golf.  I am pleased to report my knee held up very well, even having to walk the 18-hole course whilst carrying my clubs.  The only blemish on a fantastic day was that somewhere between holes 9 and 10, I inexplicably lost the cover to my putter.  I was bummed for a couple reasons.  It was the special cover which came with my putter, and it would be hilariously expensive for me to replace it.  As I continued the final holes, I prayed someone would turn in my putter cover to the pro shop where I could reclaim my lost property.  Unfortunately, no one turned it in.  Because there were many golfers following our group, I am certain that bright red cover would contrast nicely with the green grass!  Oh well.

It would be easy for me to be angry someone has claimed my valuable property as their own.  But I was reminded by the scriptures to maintain the God-honouring perspective David demonstrated.  I can commit all my stuff and those who decide to keep it for themselves to God without a shred of anger or frustration.  God knows all about it, and God will sort it out.  I don't need to avenge myself or even beat myself up over my mistake of dropping the cover somewhere.  God has given me an opportunity to trust and honour His Word:  will I follow David's good example with the comfort of the Holy Spirit, or will I become bitter and angry?  Praise the LORD not only for His wisdom, but opportunities to put His wisdom into practice.  Then we can say with David, "As the LORD lives, He has redeemed my soul out of all distress" (1 Kings 1:29).  When we apply God's Word by living it out, it starts becoming a practical and powerful witness of God's undimmed truth.  God gave me that divine flashbang verse yesterday to teach me how to deal with difficulty today.  How glorious is our God!