1 Chronicles 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God… In one or two forms this subject has already been dealt with; so, under this heading, we propose to give here only a brief outline, as the filling up of it must of necessity involve some repetition of thought. A new outline may suggest some freshness of form. The principle expressed in the familiar words, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you," finds illustration in every age, and in every sphere of our life. Give the illustrative incident connected with this verse. Joab skilfully planned, as a good general; but he called for a full trust in God, and committal of the matter to him, as became the good man. I. MAN MUST PLAN AND WORK AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON HIS SKILL. This is the life-loyalty. II. MAN MUST PRAY AND WAIT AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON HIS TRUST. This is the heart-loyalty. III. GOD GIVES A BLESSING WHICH CROWNS BOTH THE WORKING AND THE WAITING. This is the Divine recognition of the whole man: the acceptance of the offering of a man's whole self, including both the active and the passive sides of his nature. APPLY. Our fellow-man can see only our working, and so our success may seem to be the natural fruitage of our own work. But we know, and God sees, that our successes are the Divine benedictions that rest upon the life-toil and the heart-trust, when these are fully and lovingly blended together. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. |
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