Today's Devotional

May 26, 2005

Subject:  Day 3: Give A Little Ground

Judges 20:36 - "Then the men of Benjamin realized they were defeated.  The Israelites had allowed the men of Benjamin to take back some ground.  The Israelites relied on those waiting in ambush near Gibeah."

A quick summary of the passage: A Levite and his concubine had gone to Gibeah in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.  While there, some men came and raped the concubine and killed her.  The leaders of all the tribes went to the tribe of Benjamin and asked for the people who committed this crime so that they could put them to death.  The men of Benjamin told Israel to "get lost."  Those are my words.  However, Israel was not amused and decided to attack the men of Benjamin.   They asked God on two separate days if they should fight with Benjamin and both times He said "yes."  In both cases, the men of Israel were soundly routed in battle, losing 22,000 men the first day and 18,000 men the second day.  On the third day, they asked God the question again about whether they should attack again and as before He said "yes" and added that He would give the men of Benjamin over to the men of Israel on that day.  The tactic used by Israel was to begin the battle and  then retreat or give up some ground to draw the men of Benjamin out of the city and into a waiting ambush.  It worked and 25,000 men of Benjamin were killed in battle.

One of my biggest problems has always been the feeling that I have to win every battle.  I'm a fighter who believes in charging straight ahead without any sense of retreating from the circumstances of life.  God has shown me several times in life how this has worked against me.  I've learned through many experiences that sometimes, you've got to give a little ground in order to get the victory.  It's the principle that Christ is talking about when He says, if someone smites you on the cheek, turn and give the other cheek.  That's giving a little ground.  It's saying, I don't have to win this battle, but I know that I can win the war.  

Look at Israel, God purposely sent them out two days in a row to get defeated by the enemy.  They attacked as they needed to, but it wasn't until the third day that they "gave a little ground" and got the victory.  

Today it's comforting to know that we don't have to win every battle.  It's even more comforting to know that we've already won the war in Jesus Christ.  If you're fighting some circumstance or someone in your life today, perhaps giving a little ground might be the way to go.  You don't have to win every battle.  This could be Day 3 for you. 

Carlen