WHEN GREATNESS MEETS PREPARATION
The patriarch needed to ensure his boys were all right on the battlefield. He had some nudging that he did not quite understand how to interpret them. He knew God was about to do something that involved his household. He could not quite place it, so he decided to ask after his boys. That was the least he could do under the circumstances. He sent another boy, the youngest and the shepherd to take some food to his older brothers and ask after their welfare. The nation was at war, and his sons were warriors on duty. At least from the report, he would know what was going on.
The Israeli army gathered every morning, in the valley of Elah. The Philistines had been a huge problem, and they had no clue how they were going to get out of the dilemma in which they found themselves. Every time the Philistines came close, the Israelites retreated in fear and dread of the enemy. Oh, that God would send salvation they prayed! Many hearts were faint. The King was proffering no solution, and the enemy was not relenting.
Dave was on a mission to take bread to his big brothers and inquire after their welfare, was his only brief. He had a sense of destiny and felt an inner nudge that this was a life-changing trip. It was such a simple errand, yet he felt the pull of destiny. Remember the prophet had visited a while ago pronouncing him God’s chosen. What was the essence of the oil if there was no throne? It was all a puzzle, but he still had an errand to run.
Big brothers, men of war, trained for battle but not battle-ready! What is the purpose of the stature if all it would do was impress? No sense of destiny! They were small boys in big boy bodies. All there was to dream about was to be in the army of Israel. The king had all the sophistication and the armoury, but his heart was feeble. How do you fight and win when you already lost within?
The Philistines, Israel's sworn enemy, needed to show again that they were more powerful; their primary weapon – intimidation! Their point’s man was a giant well-trained soldier, fully equipped and ready to take the spoil. Unknown to him, though, God had ordained the day as a day of whooping for the enemy.
God, the master strategist, able soldier, Captain of the host had his plan: 'humiliate the enemy.' Dave showed up behind the battle lines, heard the pronouncement by the infidels. Felt the fear and dread in his people and the revolt in his being. Did his people not know who they were? Were they not in tune with who was in charge? Why fear who was obvious mincemeat?
You wonder how he knew! Nobody defied God Almighty and went scot-free. They usually left with a whopping and that one would be the latest. Why were his people so blind? Did they not understand that they were covenant people?
He asked a few questions and purpose took the front stage. He offered to go forward, and big brother challenged him. His reply sounded to me, something like this; Are you so blind you cannot see this is God’s opportunity to prove Himself? Do you think this is about you? This fight is truly about who is Lord. And God must be put back on the throne of the people’s heart and as the nation’s God. There is a purpose; people open your eyes!
The King got intimated that a young lad boy was asking deep questions. He invited him, and you guessed right – he was willing to let the small boy confront what the old battle trained men could not. What was he thinking? Could it be that he thought nothing of Dave's life or he was too beaten down to care? Long story short, the giant was brought low; a whole nation was whooped. The covenant was reinforced, God’s people were free, but they still thought it was about persons. The women sang their song and gave trophies to men; the whole nation was still not getting it!
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BOOKS BY Anne Ajadi:
YOU WILL MARRY WELL
GODS LADY IN WAITING
WALK WITH ME
