God's Got Your Back

# 386 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 29:1,2, Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. (1 Sam 29:1,2) The Holy Spirit takes us back to the preparations for the great battle between the Philistines and the Israelites. Here we get a picture of the huge army amassed by Achish, and what's this? David and his men have been assigned the rear guard. David has been given the responsibility of covering Achish' back. In military strategy, this is especially important not only for protecting the general, but if things go badly in battle, the rear guard is called upon to engage the enemy and buy time for the retreating troops. This responsibility given to David should remind us that God has our back! There are times in living out our Christian faith that we find ourselves in circumstances that appear very bleak. When that happens, God has given us a great example of this military strategy, that we may look to for encouragement and confidence. This example was given to us when Moses led the people out of Egypt. God led them to a place by the Red Sea, but Pharaoh had a change of heart and set out in hot pursuit of the Israelites. With darkness all around them, and nothing but the Red Sea in front of them, and Pharaoh's army closing in on them, the Israelites were trapped. It appeared that all was lost, but that's when God moved to the rear guard. We read about it in Ex 14:19,20, “And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.” Friend, know that even in your darkest hour, God has got your back. He is with you. He will keep the enemy at bay as long as you keep trusting Him. It is as the song says, God will make a way, where there seems to be no way, He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me! Father, be with those today, who need that assurance that You have their back covered.