Statistics dont help the King, God does.

Every leader is encouraged to know his/her strength. We see that in sports very clearly, teams and strategies are chosen based on the strengths. In our academics, we try to take subjects where we are strong, same is true in the professional world as well.

It seems that it is good to know our strength. Not long ago there was a management book that went by the name — “Count your chicken before they hatch”. Yeah the old adage (don’t count your …) has been turned on it’s head.

Thus it is a bit confusing to see in 1st Chronicles 21 God being angry with David for doing something so normal and relevant. David gets a census done to know how many fighting men he has.

You and I may see that as very normal even very necessary but Joab to whom this task was entrusted found it detestable.

But why?

David by now had many victories but not one of them were by his strength. Goliath would not have fallen without God by his side. Now when David wants to know the number of fighting men he has. He forgets that his strength comes from the Lord not from the number of soldiers he has.

This is true for many of us, we depend on our strength. We fail to realise that God is our only strength. He is not one of our strengths, He is not a power boost rather He is our only strength.

God is our Only Strength!

David realises it soon that he has commited sin. This is another important aspect to keep in mind. Depending on our strength is not considered a simple mistake rather a great sin. God deals with David severely here and who knows many of our struggles in our life may have their roots in our dependence on our strength.

God gives David the option of choosing the consequence that he should face. God gives him three options:

three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord —days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’…
1 Chronicles 21:12 NIV

It is quiet hard to face the person whom we have wronged. It is similarly hard to approach God after sinning. Our natural tendency is to stay away. This is where David is so different, he sins but never runs away from God, instead he submits himself to God’s rebuke and discipline and chooses the last option.

Do we trust God enough to submit ourselves to His rebuke?

God often disciplines you and me, it may not be a pleasant experience but let us remember it is not to destroy instead His intention is to build you and me who follow Him.

Weak we are but slowly and surely as we follow Him, depending on Him alone, we will see how He leads us ahead from battle to battle until the day when the war is won. This is how the Holy Spirit daily transforms to look more like Jesus Christ. So let us not run away from God instead let us depend solely on him.

We may have our abilities and talents but without the grace of God would you and I even survive one day?

Lord help us to depend solely on you for you are our only strength!