January 2 – The Warrior’s God
Psalm 144:1 – "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle."
Reflection: God Himself prepares you for the fight. Whether on the battlefield or in spiritual warfare, He sharpens your skills and gives you the wisdom to prevail.
Psalm 144 is a warrior’s prayer written by King
David, a man who was both a skilled soldier and a devoted follower of God.
Throughout his life, David faced countless battles—both physical and spiritual.
From his early days as a shepherd defeating lions and bears, to his famous
victory over Goliath, and later, his wars as king against Israel’s
enemies, David understood that his success in battle did not come from his own
strength alone.
In Psalm 144:1, David acknowledges that it is God
who equips him for war. The phrase “trains my hands for war, my fingers
for battle” is a recognition that God is the ultimate source of his
skill, strategy, and strength in combat. David was a warrior, but he knew
that his victories were not just because of his own abilities—they were because
of God’s guidance and training.
How This Applies to a Soldier’s Faith
This verse speaks directly to the heart of a
soldier. Here’s how:
- God Prepares You for the Fight
Just as David credited God with training him for battle, modern-day soldiers can trust that God equips them for their mission—whether it’s in the heat of combat, in leadership, or in the struggles of daily life. - Strength and Skill Come from the
Lord
Soldiers go through intense training to become physically and mentally strong, but this verse reminds them that spiritual training is just as important. God provides the wisdom, discipline, and endurance needed to face both physical and spiritual battles. - God is Your Rock
David calls God his Rock—his source of stability, protection, and confidence. Soldiers operate in dangerous, uncertain conditions, but trusting in God provides an unshakable foundation in any situation. - Victory is More Than Just Winning
the Battle
While soldiers train for war, they also face internal struggles—fear, guilt, loss, and the burden of decisions made in combat. This verse is a reminder that God is with them, strengthening their hands for battle but also giving them the wisdom to fight with honor and faith.
ENDEX
Psalm 144:1 is more than a warrior’s battle cry—it’s a prayer
of dependence on God. Soldiers today, like David, must trust that God not
only gives them the skill to fight but also the faith to endure.
Whether in combat, transitioning to civilian life, or struggling with the scars
of war, God remains the ultimate source of strength and training.
The Battle I Wasn’t Prepared For
ReplyDeleteAfter years of service, the hardest fight I faced wasn’t on the battlefield—it was transitioning from a Senior NCO to a civilian. It wasn’t about finding a job or adjusting to a different level of authority. No matter how many classes ACAP offered, nothing prepared me for the sudden loss of support that came with leaving the military.
In the service, we rely on our platoon, battle buddies, and the military community—a brotherhood that has your back no matter what. But the moment I retired, that support vanished.
I was stationed in Germany when I retired, and our plan was simple: rely on family for a place to stay while we waited for our household goods to arrive, my wife to start her job, and our car to be shipped back. Months of planning had gone into this transition.
We landed in Dallas, rented a car, and were on our way to stay with family—until we got a call that changed everything.
They told us we couldn’t stay with them because they had just bought a new couch, and they didn’t want our cats to scratch it.
Just like that, everything unraveled.
We were now homeless, with only the bags we had packed, and stuck 13 hours away from Lexington, KY, our final destination. Worse yet, our household goods and car were still being shipped to Texas, because that was where we originally planned to stay.
For the next few days, we scrambled to fix the mess:
Diverting our shipments from Texas to Kentucky, which came at an extra cost.
Staying in a hotel while we waited to pick up our car in Houston.
Renting an overpriced apartment on a month-to-month lease just to have a place to live.
Every unexpected cost drained our savings, and all because a couch was more important than family. To this day, I still believe I could have replaced that couch several times over for what we had to pay just to get settled.
The first lesson I learned when I retired?
👉 You can’t trust anybody.
Transitioning out of the military isn’t just about finding a new career—it’s about realizing that the people you thought you could rely on might not be there when you need them most. What I could rely on, outside of my wife, was the knowledge that He was present. The plan fell apart, but not once was I or my wife in a position that seemed hopeless. Every fork in the road was met with a solution - and to this day I hold that was the presence of the Holy Spirit - Life fell in place and after a period of stress and uncertainty, this was the lesson he taught me - I was not trusting in the one that mattered.