| A Boss After God’s Own Heart 12 / ABAGOH >>> |
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A Boss After
God’s Own Heart (ABAGOH)– Part 12 A time to fight and a time to rest |
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – KJV – To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
The
records and stories that we find in the Bible have been written for
us to learn. None of us is perfect, but the Bible encourages us to make
all our efforts to advance on to maturity and spiritual completeness
in order to become more like Jesus (Philippians 3:12). In our study
about being a man or a woman after God’s own heart, there are some lessons
that we can learn. The story of David and Bathsheba can help us to understand
some important truths about leadership and responsibility, power and
authority, humility and service, justice and righteousness. Another
important lesson that the episode with David and Bathsheba can teach
us is that there is a time and a season for everything and it is important
for us to be in the right place at the right moment, doing the right
thing. The Bible says in 2 Samuel 11: 1 that king David remained in
Jerusalem at the time of the year when kings usually go to war. It means
that he was not where he was supposed to be. As we just read in Ecclesiastes
3:1-8, there is an appropriate time for everything. There is a time
to go to war and there is a time to rest. It is only when the disciples
had obeyed the Lord’s command to go and preach the god news of His kingdom
that He invited them to rest (Mark 6:7-12; 30-32). David decided to
rest when it was time to fulfill his duty and to fight against the enemy.
So he found himself at the wrong place, wandering one evening on the
roof of his palace, and saw something that he never would have seen
if he had been at the right place at the right moment. If we are busy
doing the right thing at the right time, there will be no room for sin
and the devil in our life. David should have been on the battle field
with the army of Israel to support his boys and encourage the nation
in their fight against the enemy. But because he failed to do what he
was supposed to do as a mighty warrior, he was entangled in an ugly
story of adultery and murder.
Maybe king David had fought so many battles in his lifetime that he
was just fed up and decided to hang out and chill out. The Bible tells
us in 1 Chronicles 22:7-8 that God did not allow him to build a house
for Him because he had shed a lot of blood in his life time during the
numerous battles that he had fought. So David was accustomed with fighting.
He was a man of war. It is possible that he had seen so much bloodshed
and had watched so many people fall by the sword that he was just disgusted
and needed a time out. If that is the case, I believe we can identify
with David’s feelings. Sometimes we too get weary in the battle. Sometimes
we feel like it is not worth it at all and all our efforts are just
in vain. Sometimes we feel that we’ve been fighting all this while for
less than nothing and we think that we will never be able to accomplish
anything substantial and valuable in our life. Sometimes we feel all
alone in the battle and we think that nobody really cares. Sometimes
we just want to give up everything, just throw in the towel and quit.
But where do we go? Where else can we run to? There is no other place
of refuge where we can find peace and rest if not in the Lord Jesus.
He is always calling and saying “Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
God understands that we get tired, weary and fed up in the battle. He
understands when we feel like we cannot take it anymore. He promised
to assist us in difficult times if we earnestly seek after Him. He promised
to be with us and strengthen us when we go through hard times. He also
promised to teach our hands to war (Psalm 144:1; 18:34). But He also
promised to give us rest, the perfect peace that surpasses all understanding
(Philippians 4:7). Whatever our feelings may be, we should always turn
to Jesus and let Him be our shelter. His arms and His heart are always
wide open for us.
It is not for no reason that the Lord Jesus is called the Prince of
peace. He has the power to calm the storms of our lives and every raging
sea. He is also called the Counselor because He guides us on the way
and helps us to take the right decisions in the midst of the battle
so as to give us the victory. The decisions that we take while under
heavy pressure can have irreversible consequences in our lives. But
with Jesus on our side we will know how to handle the situation. He
is the best coach that has ever existed. Have you ever watched how sports
trainers encourage their boys? They tell them that they are the best
and that they can make it. There is non trainer in the world who considers
his boys as a loser, not at all. In the contrary, they always tell them
that they are up to the challenge and that they have been trained to
win. They have a strong supportive vocabulary to shape the mental condition
of their boys because it is important to go in the fight with the mindset
of a winner. So it is with the Lord Jesus and even more because He is
the best coach and trainer among all. From the book of Genesis to the
book of Revelation, His Word is full of supportive and encouraging words
for us. Moreover, He gives us the wisdom and the ability to become storm
walkers in the midst of the storm. The storms of life cannot overwhelm
or defeat us because He walks with us through the storm. The fire of
adversity cannot consume or destroy us because we are in His presence,
and He himself is a consuming fire who protects us from the fire of
adversity, just like He did with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon threw in the fierce burning furnace because
they refused to worship his idol. Jesus met them in the fire and they
were not consumed (see Daniel chapter 3). We can run to the Mercy Seat
and fall in Jesus’ arms of love at any time and with all kinds of situations
because He will never reject those who come to Him (John 6:37). He is
our father and He cares for us. He won the victory for us on the cross
of Calvary and He knows everything that we are going through. He just
wants us to take the time to come and talk to Him about it in prayer.
He just wants to be a friend that is closer than a brother. When it
is time for work and war, He will equip us with everything we need to
fight the battle. He will train us and teach us how to use the weapons
that He has provided for us.
As long as we are on this planet, we will have battles to fight on the
inside and on the outside. But the Bible teaches us how to fight and
what to fight: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after
the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”
(2 Corinthians 10:3 -5). Our real battle field is our mind because that’s
where sin starts. We must be strong in the Lord and put on the whole
armor of God to destroy the works of the flesh and the works of the
devil, as we read in Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole
armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole
armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about
with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking
the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance
and supplication for all saints”. With Jesus as our Commander in
Chief, we are best equipped for every kind of battle.
It is true that the concepts of battle and war are not pleasant. Fighting
is synonym of struggle, obstacles, difficulties, hardships, oppositions,
conflicts. It is associated with pain, wounds, tears, suffering, sorrow,
bloodshed and even death. God knows all of that. That’s why He does
not leave us to fight alone. He fights with us and He fights for us.
Sometimes He just wants us to position ourselves on the battle field
and He does the fighting for us. For us Christians, the battle field
is not meant to destroy us. Being on the battle field will even prevent
us from doing silly things. It is a training platform where we can build
up our spiritual muscles. If we let God fight our battle, then we will
have the victory. The greatest battle was won already at Calvary. That’s
why it does not matter on which ground or at what level we are fighting,
we are more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us (Romans 8:37).
So we should not be afraid and we should never give up because we are
overcomers, even when the devil tries to make us think that we are losers.
He is the loser now and in all eternity. We have the victory because
of Jesus and the Bible says that we have overcome fear, doubt, sickness,
stress, emotional pain and all the rest by the precious blood of the
Lamb and by the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) And the One
who is in us is greater than the one who is at work in the world (1
Jean 4:4). Jesus said in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken
unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.“ We
have every reason to rejoice and praise the Lord because Jesus has overcome
the world, sin and the devil. He declared that the gates of hell shall
not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). So let’s continue to
fight the good fight of faith with the victor’s mindset, laying aside
every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us. (1 Timothy 6:12;
Hebrews 12:1). If we faithfully run the race that has been set before
us, we have the promise of everlasting peace, joy and rest with Jesus
in heaven. mt