Boast in the Lord – Linda Boe

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

Psalm 20:7

Where do you run in time of need? In the Old Testament days, horses and chariots were means of protection and escape. They were the strength of armies.  Enemies boasted of hundreds and thousands of chariots and horsemen, striking fear in those who heard. Foot soldiers were no match for these “tanks” of the ancient world.  A nation’s survival depended upon the number of chariots and horses in its army.

What do you depend on for survival? What is the first place you turn, the thing that offers safety and comfort? Today, “horses and chariots” come in different forms, but they are things in our life that offer a visible means of help, escape or protection. They are the things we depend upon other than God. Today, a horse may come in many forms:  a paycheck; natural talent; a person you can depend upon; a bank account; a pastor; your own hard work; addictions like alcohol and drugs…the list is endless.

            Did myriads of horses and chariots mean that a nation would be safe against enemies? No, God showed again and again that, when He was with a nation, He alone determined who won the battle. Safety was found only in the Lord.

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31

What does it mean to boast in the name of our God? In the Hebrew language, to boast means “to have confidence in, to trust in.” A name in Biblical times represented a person’s character and reputation. To boast in God’s name meant to have confidence, trust in, rely on who He has revealed Himself to be – in the attributes of His nature.

At times in my life, I discovered that I could not boast in the name of God because I didn’t really know who He was! Oh, I had ideas of what He was like from the many sermons I had heard and doctrines I had memorized.  My own experiences and flesh influenced my perception of Him. Perhaps I did not understand that God had set out to reveal Himself, beginning in Genesis 1:1. I did not confidently understand the character and ways of God.

Try this: Determine to search out His names, His ways, His attributes and His character in His word. As you read your Bible, listen to a sermon, or spend time in God’s presence, write down what you learn about God. Make note of who He is, what He is like, how He acts, what He tells us about Himself. Ask yourself, what does this show me about who God is?  Then consider, “If God is (love, all powerful, all knowing, merciful, good….) what does this mean to me in my problem? In how I live my life? Begin to praise God for who He is—for every attribute you have listed. Remember that if you are to win the battles that you fight, the answer to every problem will always be found in the character of God. Your list of what you know about God will lengthen, renewing your mind as it grows, and soon you will find that you can boast in the Lord!

“But he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 10:17