March 22
“The Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lords” (1 Sam. 17:47).
God has His own way of breaking all of us. David himself testified in 1 Samuel 17:47, and
declared very boldly that he was not depending upon the sword or any other weapon. Yet,
after winning many other battles in the strength of the Lord he wanted to take pride in
numbering his people, to show to others that in his kingdom there were many mighty men of valour to fight the enemy. He commanded Joab to number the people. Joab reminded him that he had not fought any battle in his own strength, nor by the strength of his army, but
that it was the Lord that had fought for him. Yet the King’s word prevailed and Joab numbered the people, till God’s wrath fell upon David, and he was brought to the threshing floor, (2 Sam. 24:15,16) to break his pride. A threshing floor is the place where men separate the grain from the chaff. David had begun to take pride in his knowledge, schemes and plans, but God was telling him: “David, what you called cleverness is nothing but chaff.” He had to be brought to the threshing floor to be humbled and emptied, and to break and take away his strength and self-sufficiency. God does the same to us to make us depend upon Him completely. That very threshing floor later became the site for Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 3:1).
daily bread
Heavenly King | March 20
March 20
“Thy King cometh unto thee … lowly, and riding … upon a colt, the foal of an ass” (Zech. 9:9).
At His fourth visit to Bethany the Lord planned to reveal His Kingship. He wanted His friends to understand this, and how they could enjoy the privileges of that Kingship, and paradoxically how to be humble and meek. Many believers only accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.
They want Him only to forgive their sins and eventually to take them to heaven. They do not understand the real longing of the Lord Jesus to make them His co-workers and partners, and that, for that purpose they have to be brought under His Kingship and Lordship constantly.
After many years of defeat and failure, they understand and give the right place to the Lord Jesus in their hearts as heavenly King. He has to be our King of our hearts, home and church, and His authority must be fully exercised in our midst constantly, individually, as a family, and as a Church. Though our Lord could have commanded any beast, even a lion to ride upon, He chose purposely a colt of an ass. Among all animals the colt of an ass is a very rebellious animal.
The colt of an ass will not allow anybody to ride on it and those who try to do so do not have an easy time, yet He chose an unbroken colt. When they brought this unbroken colt to Him, straightaway He sat on it and there was no kicking. It carried the Lord Jesus with great joy and obedience.