Stand Up

We humans spend most of our lives “in the middle,” the dash between the dates on a grave stone, in the middle of a problem, between a rock and a hard place, in the middle of a mess, or between here or there, this and that. Most often, we are not at the beginning or end of something, but we are in the middle of something. God is the God of new beginnings and great endings, but, lucky for us, he is also God in the middle. When we find ourselves in the middle, if we will stand up, then God will show up.

Mighty Men

The book of Samuel provides the account of one of my favorite people in the bible, someone not well known, a man called Shammah, one of King David’s “Mighty Men.” The Mighty Men were highly trained and trusted captains. They would be similar to today’s “special operations” forces.

“Next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded in a troop at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.”

(2 Samuel 23:11-12)

If you find yourself, “In the middle. . . take a stand!” Can anyone relate to this idea of being in the middle?  Is there anybody in the middle of a crowded lentil field? What we need to answer is when we are in the middle of a crowded lentil field, what does it mean to take a stand? Just what does that look like in our lives.

An Atheist

Let me illustrate with this story. An atheist lived next door to an older Christian woman. Every day he could hear her praying and praising God for all of the things he had done.  One day the old woman fell on hard times and she had no food in her house. The atheist overheard her praying to God to please send her some food. So, off the atheist went to the grocery store, thinking he was gonna fix the old gal once and for all. He bought bags of groceries and after placing them on her porch, he rang her bell. Then, he hid in the bushes. When the old woman came out of her house, she saw the bags of groceries and started giving thanks to the Lord for sending her the food.

At that point, the happy atheist jumped from the bushes and shouted, “AH-HA! The Lord didn’t send you those groceries! It was me who put them there. Without a pause, the old woman shot back, “Praise you, dear Lord.  Not only did you send the groceries, but you made the devil pay for them.” 

When we are in the middle of a crowded lentil field. . . take a stand. Like the woman in this story, keep on praying, keep on praising, and keep on trusting God! 

Full of Beans

Shammah’s assignment was to defend a small but strategic field “full of beans.” The lentil field represents our life; our family, anything or anyone important to us; our body & health; and our job & finances, which includes our time, abilities, resources, and ministry. The lentils provide an analogy for where we are right now and all that God has entrusted to us as stewards. And, like Shammah, we are to defend the lentil field God has given us.

For a skilled soldier like Shammah, this likely must have seemed an unimportant assignment. Sometimes, we look at our life and where we are and think it is insignificant in the big scheme of things. However, remember Shammah’s commander David was insignificantly tending his father’s sheep in a field when Samuel found him and anointed him King of Israel. God knows where we are and sees us in our “field.”  I have learned this important principal; victories are won in the lentil fields of life. Victories are won on the backside of the mountain, out of the spotlight, in the prayer closet. They are also won in your home, workplace, and even in church.

Don’t minimize where you are today and never minimize the power of the Holy Spirit in your life; who still wins victories. God has assigned each of us, his “Mighty Men” and women a “lentil field.” God has a plan and we learn valuable lessons in the middle of the lentil fields of life. Shammah’s attitude and approach must be our attitude and approach. We must say, “It may only be a little lentil field, but it’s my lentil field. I’m going to stand strong and it is up to God to fight and win the victory!”   

Piling On

How many know that the stuff of life seems to happen in bunches and bulk? How many know the enemy has a way of piling in, piling up, and piling on? However, how many know our God is bigger, our God is greater, and our God is stronger!  There are many references in the bible to reinforce this message:

• “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).
• “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God raises up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19).
• “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
• “Greater is he that is in you than the enemy that is in this world” (1 John 4:4).

The name Shammah means “present or there.” One of God’s covenant names is Jehovah Shammah, which means “present or there.” So, when we are in the middle of a crowded lentil field, know that the Lord is present, the Lord is there, the Lord is in the middle with us.  Shammah stood up and was present in the lentil field, and Jehovah Shammah showed up and was there with him. That’s how victories are won; we stand up and God shows up!

© 2019 William Farina All rights reserved

Also, see Victorious Living.