1 Chronicles 27:34: “After Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, then Abiathar. And the general of the king’s army was Joab.”

September 15th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Notice that the famous general Joab was given a prominent place at the end of this chapter. Joab was a very loyal general to David, but he was also a man who wasn’t afraid to disagree with David. On occasion, he even went against direct orders when he thought it was in David’s and the country’s best interest. We see in both David and Joab that men of God can also be men of war.

American General Douglas Macarthur’s prayer for his son gives us insight into the heart of a military man who loves God. Macarthur prayed:

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak; and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee—and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.

Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain!”

God uses real men, imperfect as they are, to change the world. We need to be world changers for the Lord today.

“LORD, please use us to change the world for You this day.”