1 Chronicles 19:6-13: a reflection

6When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah. 7So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people, who came and encamped near Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab with all the army of the mighty men. 9The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. 10Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose some of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. 11The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon. 12He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do that which seems good to him.”

As Joab finds himself caught between two armies, attacked front and behind, he arranges his forces wisely, makes a pact of mutual support with his brother Abishai, and entrusts the outcome to God with courage. If the Syrians are too strong for me, he says to Abishai, then you help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people; and may the LORD do what is good in his sight. In this one moment we see several good things together: wise arrangement, mutual support between brothers, courage, and entrusting the outcome to God. Joab did his part with courage and planning, pledged to help and be helped, and left the result in God's hands. This shows a good way to face what is difficult: doing our part with courage and mutual support, while entrusting the outcome to God. Joab combined courage, mutual support, and trust in God. Do your part with courage, support one another, and leave the outcome to God. Face difficulty with courage, mutual help, and trust in God. We do our part; God does what is good in his sight.

Notice the several things Joab holds together as he faces the battle. He arranges his forces wisely, dividing them to meet the threat on both sides. He makes a pact of mutual support with his brother: if I am overwhelmed, help me; if you are, I will help you. He calls for courage: be strong for our people. And he entrusts the outcome to God: may the LORD do what is good in his sight. Here is wisdom, mutual support, courage, and trust in God, all together. This models how we can face difficult and daunting situations. We do our part with wisdom and courage, we support one another, pledging to help and be helped rather than facing things alone, and we entrust the outcome to God, doing what we can and leaving the result in his hands. We are not to be paralyzed by fear, nor to face things alone, nor to trust only in ourselves; we act with courage and mutual support, and leave the outcome to God. Doing our part with courage and support, we leave the outcome to God. Face difficulty with courage, help one another, and trust God for the result. Mutual support and courage, with the outcome left to God, is a good way. We act faithfully and entrust the result to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for a good way to face difficulty is to do our part with courage and mutual support while entrusting the outcome to God, as Joab arranged his forces, pledged mutual help with Abishai, called for courage, and left the result to God. We can face daunting situations paralyzed by fear, or alone, or trusting only in ourselves; but Joab combined wise action, mutual support between brothers, courage, and trust that God would do what is good. Do your part with courage, support one another, and leave the outcome to God. Face what is difficult by doing your part with courage and mutual support while entrusting the outcome to God, as Joab, caught between two armies attacking front and behind, arranged his forces wisely, made a pact with his brother Abishai to help and be helped, called for courage to be strong for their people, and said, may the LORD do what is good in his sight; for we can face daunting situations paralyzed by fear, or trying to face them alone, or trusting only in our own strength, but the better way holds together wise and courageous action, mutual support with others rather than facing things alone, and trust that God will do what is good, so that we do our part faithfully and with courage, help and are helped by one another, and entrust the outcome to God, leaving the result in his hands as Joab did.

Lord, as Joab finds himself caught between two armies, attacked front and behind, he arranges his forces wisely, makes a pact of mutual support with his brother Abishai, and entrusts the outcome to you with courage. If the Syrians are too strong for me, he says to Abishai, then you help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people; and may the LORD do what is good in his sight. In this one moment I see several good things together: wise arrangement, mutual support between brothers, courage, and entrusting the outcome to you. Joab did his part with courage and planning, pledged to help and be helped, and left the result in your hands. This shows a good way to face what is difficult. Show me the several things Joab holds together as he faces the battle. He arranges his forces wisely. He makes a pact of mutual support with his brother: if I am overwhelmed, help me; if you are, I will help you. He calls for courage. And he entrusts the outcome to you: may the LORD do what is good in his sight. Here is wisdom, mutual support, courage, and trust in you, all together. This models how I can face difficult and daunting situations. I do my part with wisdom and courage, I support others and let them support me rather than facing things alone, and I entrust the outcome to you, doing what I can and leaving the result in your hands. I am not to be paralyzed by fear, nor to face things alone, nor to trust only in myself. Take that to my heart, for a good way to face difficulty is to do my part with courage and mutual support while entrusting the outcome to you. When I face what is daunting, keep me from being paralyzed by fear, or facing it alone, or trusting only in myself; help me act with courage and mutual support, Lord, and entrust the outcome to you, saying with Joab, may the LORD do what is good in his sight.