Without Him

by John Thomas

When we look in 1 Chronicles chapters 18-20, and other accounts as well, we see that God defeated the enemies of Israel time after time after time. David was the victorious leader of the people and was becoming very comfortable with victory. As expected, satan moves right in and takes action. I Chronicles 21: I "Now satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." Now why would it be wrong to take a census of the people? After all he was their leader and he should have kept up with them...right? Well, it is a matter of timing. Do you see the problem? David began thinking he had defeated the enemy! He had built the armies up. He had out smarted the competition. He had led his people to victory! He wanted to number the people to see just how strong he was! God had a problem with this. Joab was the leader that David asked to number the people. Even Joab told David it was not a good idea to number the people and said in verse 3, "May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are." David's SELF confedence caused his fall. He seemed to have forgotten that God was the Master and the Power behind his success.
Because of David's sin, God gave him 3 choices: (v.12-15)
1) Three years of famine, 2) Three months of bloodshed by his enemies, or 3) Three days of the sword of the Lord.
David chose three days of the sword of the Lord, because he didn't want to fall into the hands of man. The hand of the Lord was/is merciful. The angel of the Lord slew 70,000 men until restrained by God.
Many times when things go well for us we look back with pride and think, "Oh, look what I have done!" We are many times self confident, when we should be God reliant! It is easy to look back and think we succeeded because we worked harder, or because we out smarted the competition, or because we are just natural born leaders, but it is dangerous to think we succeeded because of the things we have done! All good and perfect gifts come from the Father above! If you have been blessed in your life, thank God for those blessings and realize He is our source and our strength. Without Him, we would surely fail.. Miserably!

Mylon R. LeFevre says it well in the song,