Daniel Condurachi’s Blog

Maybe you had you fill to hear again and again about David. So, we’ll have a little break today.

I really appreciate what Joab and his brother Abishai did when they had to lead the people into battle against Arameans and Ammonites. I have to say one tiny thing about David… that David was blessed with good people around him :

15 Thus David ruled over all of Israel.
He ruled well—fair and even-handed in all his duties and relationships.

16 Joab son of Zeruiah was head of the army;
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was clerk;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;
Seraiah was secretary;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites;
And David’s sons were were chief [confidential] assistants to the king.

2 Samuel 8:15-18

Now going back to Joab and Abishai. They had the same principles as David did. Those 2 brothers, together with other people, helped David to become king, by God mercy. Our character proves itself when put to the test, in difficult situations . The same happened to Joab and Abishai.

1 Later, the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2 David said,
I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash,
as his father did to me.
So David sent his servants to console him
for his father’s death;
and they came into the land of the Ammonites,

3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord,
Do you think that it is because David honors your father
that he has sent comforters to you?
Has he not rather sent his servants
to you to search the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?

4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half their beards
and cut off their garments in the middle at their hips and sent them away.

5 When it was told David,
he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed.
And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.

6 And when the Ammonites saw that
they had made themselves obnoxious and disgusting to David,
they sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob and of Zobah,
20,000 foot soldiers, and of the king of Maacah 1,000 men, and of Tob 12,000 men.

7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

8 And the Ammonites came out
and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate,
but the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah
were stationed by themselves in the open country.

9 When Joab saw that the battlefront was against him before and behind,
he picked some of all the choice men of Israel
and put them in array against the Syrians.

10 The rest of the men Joab gave over to Abishai his brother,
that he might put them in array against the Ammonites.

11 Joab said, If the Syrians are too strong for me,
then you shall help me;
but if the Ammonites are too strong for you,
I will come and help you.

12 Be of good courage; let us play the man for our people
and the cities of our God.
And may the Lord do what seems good to Him .

2 Samuel 10:1-12

If we want to get hired for a new job we are required experience. Everyone requires experience from us. The same happens also in spiritual life. If we continuously run away from the opportunities to grow spiritually , the challenges will become bigger and bigger. God gives us opportunities, and we have to take them .

Because they just trusted God and they went into battle watch what happened:

And Joab and the people who were with him
drew near to battle against the Syrians,
and they fled before him.

2 Samuel 10:13

I have many opportunities, and so many times I run from them. Either I get scared and I do not have enough courage. After the opportunities to become a better man go away I start to regret that I didn’t do anything about it. I know that I just have to go for it, but so many time I don’t do that .

What do you recommend? We know so well what we should do and most of the times we don’t do that. I know that God is really the one that gives the victory. I just have to take the opportunity and take a step forward. I need just the courage to make the step of faith . May God help my weakness .