Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the Lord.

We know from history what actually happened, but we don’t have that perspective about our current situation. Back then, chariots, horses, and trained, equipped troops were the pinnacle of military might, whereas today we have some pretty amazing war machinery and technology. The principle, however, is the same: we need to look first to God and depend on Him. The current administration in the US seems bent on destroying the effectiveness of the military through social engineering, but our technology is still supreme. There are exceptions, such as an article I read yesterday about how the US may well be buying a Japanese seaplane, because it is the only one in the world currently capable of landing and taking off in 3-meter waves, but its focus is on search and rescue, not killing the enemy. It’s not bad to have good equipment, and certainly not bad to have well-trained troops, but that must not be our focus. We are to be good stewards of what the Lord has provided, but remember first Who provided it. This verse of course is talking about military matters, but the same thing applies in every area of life. The most wealthy, gifted person in the world must first look to their Creator, and sadly, that is not common. We are all too prone to look at and to the material and forget the underlying spiritual reality. When as Paul said we walk by faith and not by sight, (2 Corinthians 5:7) we have absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

I’ve done my share of depending on things other than God, and it’s never turned out well. In the process I have learned that God is indeed totally dependable, but I must not be presumptuous. I must always have my eyes open to see what God has already provided, to make the use of it that He intends, to accomplish His purposes for His glory. So long as I’m looking to put a feather in my cap, I’m in the wrong. God has blessed me remarkably, but for a long time I thought those gifts were mine, and I was mired in pride. Just recently He has been working on that again. I’ve been using computers effectively for almost 40 years, but my latest acquisition came with Windows 11 installed, and I’m left feeling like a “newbie,” unable to do things that should be simple. Frankly, that’s painful, and doubly so because I don’t know how to ask the system the right questions, apparently. I too need to look to the Lord to rescue me! I’ve got to remember this as I relate to those around me who can’t seem to grasp things that seem obvious to me. I’m no better than they are! I need to recognize the lessons the Lord is giving me and so learn what I need to, to become a more effective servant of my Lord, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I should have learned this thoroughly by now! Thank You for the line of investigation You indicated to me about the computer issue, but more than that, help me focus more and more on You in every issue, every detail of my life, so that I may walk in Your light and not in darkness, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!