Judges 1: You Scratch My Back...

"Judah said to his brother Simeon, 'Come with me to my territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites.  I will also go with you to your territory.' So Simeon went with him."

Judges 1:3

As of this point, many parts of the Promised Land remained unconquered by Israel.  The unconquered lands were divided into territories for each tribe of Israel to take.  Many tribes were unsuccessful in these efforts, yet Judah and Simeon both triumphed because they worked together as God willed.  For those who don't remember, far back in Deuteronomy, when Moses conquered cities on the other side of the Jordan, he and the Lord warned that the tribes settling those lands should send their fighting men to help conquer the Promised Land.  They spoke of how important true companionship is, and how vital teamwork is to the goals of the whole nation of Israel.

Now that most of the Promised Land has been settled, only Judah and Simeon decide to work together in their remaining military expeditions.  Only one other tribe (Joseph) was successful (in taking Betherl), but his sons Manasseh and Ephraim failed.  I see two obvious reasons for the success of Judah and Simeon, and for the failure of all the rest: they were obedient to God and therefore had God's power fighting with them, and they were able to work together towards a common goal.

Question of the Day:

Are you wondering why you seem to fail in  Spiritual battles which the Lord has promised you success in?  Do you have an accountability partner, a brother (or sister, for the lady readers) in Christ, who will help you fight the good fight, and who also needs your help?  Are you a member of a bible study group, accountability group, or any other group which consistently reaches out to one another in your times of need?  Are you obeying God's calling for His followers to gather together, two or more, in His name?

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, bring me into more meaningful fellowship with brothers who are of like mind to overcome evil together.  Do not let me enter the Spiritual battleground alone, nor as a pair with You, but rather as a trio with You and a Spiritual brother - a brother in arms.  Give me the wisdom and strength to help my fellow brothers with their needs as well.  Let us all shine Your light as examples for believers and nonbelievers alike that Your Spirit is one of community, and that working together we can achieve more than the sum of all our individual efforts.  Amen!