God Wants You to Fight Like You're In a Cartoon

God cracks me up in Deuteronomy 20.  He is giving instructions to the people of Israel on what to do when they are in a war.  He says that before they go into war, they are supposed to tell anyone who has a new house, a new wife, or a new vineyard that they are excused from fighting and can go home.  If anyone is afraid or worried about going into battle, they can go home.  God just releases soldiers from duty left and right with no concern.

Then later He tells them that if they march up to a city and have to lay siege to it, not to cut down any fruit trees around the city, because they will want those to eat from later.  It's okay to cut down the other trees, but keep the fruit trees.

This is crazy talk.  We're talking about war here.  Take no prisoners, fight to the end, use every ounce of resources you have to win.

Unless you KNOW that you will win.

Then you aren't so worried.

When you have a secret weapon that is invincible, you can let soldiers go home.  You can leave trees standing for later, because when you take the city, you WILL eat from them.  When you're certain of victory, you can afford to do crazy things like this.

God is certain of victory.  He never doubts.  He is fighting for them.  They will win.  Period.

What about us?  Does God fight for us in life?  He tells us not to worry, not to get vengeance, not to defend ourselves.  Why?  Because He will do all those things for us.  They sound crazy, UNLESS you have a secret weapon.  Then you can act looney in the middle of a battle, you can live without worry as you march off to war.

What's your secret weapon?  Do you trust Him?