Scripture:
“When the Philistines got word that David had been made king over all Israel, they came on the hunt for him. David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. When the Philistines arrived, they deployed their forces in Raphaim Valley.
Then David prayed to God: ‘Shall I go up and fight the Philistines? Will you help me beat them?’
‘Go up,’ God replied. ‘Count on me. I’ll help you beat them.’
David then went straight to Baal Perazim, and smashed them to pieces. Afterward David said, ‘God exploded on my enemies like a gush of water.’ That’s why David named the place Baal Perazim (The-Master-Who-Explodes). The retreating Philistines dumped their idols, and David and his soldiers took them away.” 2 Samuel 5:17-21 (MSG)
Perspective:
The Philistines knew of David. He was the one who had killed Goliath years prior to this event. When David was set up as king, they were going to take back what David had taken from them. However, David had to decide what he would do. Should he flee or fight? He could have run, but then the thing he was running from would have always been chasing him. David was going to fight his enemies, but he inquired of the Lord first. God’s response was for David to count on him.
It can be challenging to know who we can actually count on to be there for us when life gets difficult. We would like to think that we have a large group of friends, represented by the high numbers on social media. However, if you really think about it, who could you count on when you need help? It is probably a rather small group; it might actually be only one or two people. Even if you feel like no one would be there for you, God says, “Count on me.” When you have a difficulty, God is willing to stand on the line for you. When we count God into the equation, the odds that were stacked against us no longer stand a chance.
