As Promised

1 Chronicles 12:22

Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

In our Ladies Bible Study last Wednesday, after viewing Brooklyn Tabernacle’s prayer-themed DVD, we were asked to share an experience where we held on to a Scripture-promise ‘til we saw God faithfully answering it.  One beautiful mother shared about how his only son was in and out of the hospital, almost monthly and for ten years at least, and the only verse she kept reminding God was His’ knitting together a child in a mother’s womb in Psalm 139. That what the doctors can’t seem to puzzle-fit, as Creator, He knew full well. In one of their last sessions, God gave her another verse, this time in Jeremiah: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’  It was God’s specific answer that He KNEW her son. She was surprised though, that the second part says he would become a leader. With his son in bed and weak from those sick-years, she said, that’s unimaginable. But she knew better than trust her sights. They’ve never been admitted again for a year now, praise God. As for the second half of the verse, that’s something she said is worth-waiting-and-watching for. 

If David was to look at today’s chapter, and we would ask him the same question we were asked last Wednesday, what would probably first pop in his mind was God’s answer to his Psalm 142 prayer. He would recall how he wrote that song while he was in the cave, a fugitive and alone. Phrases like, ‘my spirit grows faint within me’, ‘no one cares for my life’, ‘my enemies are too strong for me’ really sums up his desperate state. He wasn’t really alone though. But those around him were said to be four hundred men in distress or in debt or discontented. That’s worse for a leader than being alone! But he ended his prayer with faith, that soon, righteous will gather around him because of the Lord’s goodness. And seeing the list of mighty men here in this chapter, (I computed it an estimate of 337,100, some with the description of people under their command), who turned Saul’s kingdom over to him, I’m sure he was more than overwhelmed with praise.  There’s not even a hint of his unpromising four hundred anymore. The timeline from Ziklag to Hebron was around 1 year and four months, plus another seven years and six months before the fulfilment of God’s promise that he will be king of all Israel. Seeing all these men gathered around him claiming God's promise was what he exactly prayed in that cave. Seeing God’s faithfulness in keeping His Word was his new song that day.

Your turn. Ever had that pit-depth, pitiful time where you just had His promise to cling on to? How did He answer your prayers? Were others around you able to witness and share in His goodness because of your loud praise? Today can be that day. Or maybe you’re still amidst your deep waters, breathless and cold. Will His names Redeemer, Refuge and Restorer convince you that He is all that you need? Will His words  ‘I will never leave you’, ‘I care for you’, ‘I will give you rest’ prove His heart is for you? ‘Call to me and I will answer you’, God said in Jeremiah. A lot already had and were filled. I myself have my own share of Psalm 142 and His answer was more than I could ask or imagine. Today can be your turn. And in time, in faith, we will soon gather around you because of the Lord’s goodness. God assures you, He is worth-waiting-and-watching for!