TRAINED HANDS
Scripture Reading: Psalm 144:1-15
Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle. (Psalm 144:1)
David was a very skillful warrior as well as a proficient musician. He emerged first as a warrior when he went out against Goliath in that epic battle. When he engaged in that battle, he was a teenager who was not old enough to enlist in the regular army of Israel.
After winning that battle, David was made an army troop leader. His exploits as a troop leader were spectacular. From there, he went on to lead many military efforts and won almost every battle.
The impression some get when they read the story of David was that he was an untrained young man whom God just picked and used. There is a little truth in that view, but it is not the whole truth. David was not an untrained warrior.
In today’s passage, David tells us that he was trained for the tasks he undertook. Yes, he was not ready for military service and so was not enrolled in the military academy of Israel; but that should not presuppose that he was untrained. David tells us how he got his training; he was trained by God. God was his trainer. That was the secret of David’s success as a warrior; he had the best trainer!
The Lord can also train each one of us. He is willing to teach us to do the things that He has called us to do. David was trained as a warrior while watching over the sheep under his care. We can also be taught by God while serving faithfully in the field in which He has placed us.
David’s training required facing up to the challenges that came with his job, such as delivering his lambs from attacking lions and bears. God trains us by allowing challenges to come our way. When such challenges come, He wants us to trust Him for deliverance and victory.
Have you considered that God is training your hands right now? Have you considered that where you are now is His training school? Could it be that all the challenges you’re going through right now, are part of God’s training curriculum for the promotion He has prepared for you?
Allow the Lord to train your hands for all the great things coming to you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I submit to your training. Help me to master all the lessons you’re teaching me right now. In Jesus name, Amen!
