Today’s devotion comes from 1 Chronicles chapter 20.
“Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it. David took the crown of their king from his head, and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. He brought out the people who were in it, and cut them with saws and with sharp instruments and with axes. And thus David did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Now it came about after this, that war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the giants, and they were subdued. And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.” 1 Chronicles chapter 20.
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“‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” Isaiah 41:10.
We should not be afraid of the giants in our land. Nor should we be afraid of the Goliaths in our land. For the theme of our devotion, the giants in our land symbolize the difficult problems, and the Goliaths in our land symbolize the difficult people.
“11 “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 “For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
14 “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:10-14.
“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9.
As I summarize from the next Scriptures, sometimes Jesus calms the sea. But, other times, Jesus calms our hearts. In either case, Jesus is with us and gives us His peace by His presence with us.
In John 6:16-20, Jesus and His disciples were crossing the sea to Capernaum when the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. The disciples were frightened. Jesus said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid”.
In the very next verse, John 6:21 then simply tells us: “They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going”.
The key to this passage is not that the sea became calm. (It is not mentioned in this passage whether or not the sea became calm.) The key is that as soon as they were willing to receive Him, the boat was at the land to which they were going.
In a storm, man thinks: “I need safety. I need the wind to stop blowing and the seas to calm. If this storm does not stop, I will die. Jesus, calm the seas.”
Sometimes, Jesus may calm the seas. However, what is most important is Jesus’ presence with us. Even if the wind continues to blow and the sea rages, if Jesus is with us, we have His peace by His presence with us.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:26-27.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 