Hornets or Swords and Bows?

[S] Joshua 24:12-13; Psalm 44:2-7 --

 ¹²'Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow.
 ¹³'I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.'

    ²You with Your own hand drove out the nations;
         Then You planted them;
         You afflicted the peoples,
         Then You spread them abroad.
    ³For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
         And their own arm did not save them,
         But Your right hand and Yourarm and the light of Your presence,
         For You favored them.
    ⁴You are my King, O God;
         Command victories for Jacob.
    ⁵Through You we will push back our adversaries;
         Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.
    ⁶For I will not trust in my bow,
         Nor will my sword save me.
    ⁷But You have saved us from our adversaries,
         And You have put to shame those who hate us. 


[O] Which is mightier weapon of war: hornets or swords/bows?  My answer would be swords/bows.  However, the right answer is whichever is used by the hands of God because He used the hornets to drive out the enemies not by the Israelite's swords or bows.  The key takeaway here is God provided the land which the Israelites did not earn for, or deserve to own.  I may think that I've earned my material possessions with the money I worked so hard for but in a big scheme of things, they too were provided by God for me.  I may have gotten a job to earn the money to purchase my belongings but who provided my health, safety, and spiritual well being such that I may work in the first place?  It's none I did (or can do to achieve).

The Psalmist repeats this same amazing wonder God gifted the Israelites with and in the end commits to trust in the Lord instead of trusting in my own strengths (my own sword and bow).

[A] What are my swords and bows that I am relying on as my weapon of war against the enemy who has been throwing many attacks?  Is it my own efforts of reading the word to find an answer, comfort, strength?  Although this sounds good, this, too, can be my own stumbling block if I do not totally surrender first to His provision in my life even though I do not deserve it through His grace.  He wants me to just trust Him that He will fight ahead of me.  I don't need to try and fight it on my own.  Trust!

[P] Dear God I trust in Your wonderful power and omnipotence.  I am laying down my swords, bows and arrows because I trust in the big God who will cover me and to lead me through the attacks coming my way.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.