May 10

When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. — 2 Sam 10:9 BSB

This is a picture of life in this world. Wherever we turn, we face enemies. Joab teaches us a lesson in warfare. He prepared to face both the enemies in front and those behind. He never turned his back on an enemy.

This teaches us that Christians should never expose their backs to the enemy. We should always face our challenges head-on.

Another valuable lesson from Joab is that he chose his best men to fight the hardest battles, to face the most dangerous enemies. Our great Captain, Jesus, gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers. If we feel like our temptations are harder than others’ or that our enemies are more difficult to overcome, we should remember that Christ picks His bravest soldiers to face the hardest fights.