March 30, Properly-Placed Trust

Today’s reading: Psalms 146-150

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” - Psalm 147:10-11.

David was a successful field general and warrior king, but his success was not based on his military prowess; it stemmed from his ability to hear from and trust in the Lord. David never allowed his previous battlefield success to determine his future strategies of war, as we read in this account:

“Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, ‘Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.’ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer” (2 Samuel 5:22-25).

The simple lesson is that David trusted in the Lord more than his experience or military skills. Have you learned to do the same, trusting the Lord for your life and ministry strategies, even if you have an abundance of experience? Do you hope in His unfailing love or your own resources? Do you meet the criteria for the Lord to delight in you?