1 Chronicles 19
PROACTIVE

Multitudes of people came up against the army of Israel. The Ammonites had hired so many recruits that Israel should have been crushed. Joab and Abishai were leading the two parts of Israel’s army, split against forces in front and behind them.

Israel should have been on the back foot, afraid to enter the battle and looking for an escape. That’s what should have been happening. But instead, this is what happened: “So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle, and they fled before him. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, Joab’s brother, and entered the city.” (1 Chronicles 19 v 14 – 15 ESV).

Instead of waiting, Joab started the battle. Maybe the Syrians were unprepared, maybe they were not used to a per-emptive attack, but whatever it was, it worked and they ran away. Then the Ammonites did the same.

Maybe in our preaching, in our battle with sin and in our service to God, we need to be more proactive. Maybe, as it happened to Joab, the enemy will fall before us, defenses will fail and God will be victorious through us. Let’s be the first to step out in faith today.

May we be led by our faith in God this week.

With love in our Lord
Robert