Better to Have Christ as a Friend than an Enemy

1 Chronicles 19:1-19  Click here for Bible Verses

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 19:1-19.  Let’s go! Better to Have Christ as a Friend than an Enemy + Watch Out for Your Brothers and Sisters

1 Chronicles 19:6-7 (NIV) 
⁶  When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah.
⁷  They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

On verses 1-8, 16-19:  David tries to show kindness and sympathy to Hanun king of the Ammonites after hearing about the death of Hanun’s father Nahash.  But Hanun, influenced by his commanders, is suspicious of David’s act of kindness.  He repays David’s kindness with great disrespect, humiliating the messengers David sent (v4-5).  Knowing he has angered David, Hanun forms an alliance with other kingdoms like Aram, Zobah and Maakah (v6-7).  David sends out his army in full force and scores a decisive victory over Hanun and this newly formed alliance soundly (v8-19).

What can we learn from this?  When you realize that the way you are living is not pleasing to Jesus, you have a choice: you can ignore Him, redouble your efforts to rebel against Him, or surrender to Him.  But no matter what choice you make, you cannot run from Him.  One way or another, Jesus is going to put you in submission.  The question is whether you submit to Him as a friend or as an enemy.  It’s so much better to submit to Christ as a friend than as an enemy.

1 Chronicles 19:10-13 (NIV) 
¹⁰  Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.
¹¹  He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.
¹²  Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.
¹³  Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.”

On verses 9-15:  I like the way Joab and Abishai looked out for one another even as they fought their own battles for the Lord.  That’s what good brothers do.  When one is being overpowered, the other comes to his aid.  Similarly, you were not made to fight your battles alone.  That’s why when God made you His child, He also put you in a family with spiritual brothers and sisters, spiritual fathers and mothers, so that you could look out for one another, come to each other’s aid, and help one another.  Don’t be so into your own bubble that you neglect how your brothers and sisters are doing.  Fight your battles for the Lord but keep an eye out for your brothers and sisters too and be ready to come to their aid.   Who is someone you can reach out to today?

Lord Jesus, You are the King of kings.  One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that You are God.  I pray that I and those whom You have placed in my care would all willingly, quickly and humbly submit to You, because it’s so much better to have You as a friend than as an enemy.  I pray for all my brothers and sisters in Christ that You would help them in their battles today.  Show me who I can encourage and assist, and may I be an encouraging support to them.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!