And David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and slew them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
— 1 Samuel 23:5
After being trained by David, his small band of men was able to regain Keilah by defeating the army of the Philistines (1 Sam. 23:1–5). This battle made all their training real and practical.
If we do not have a practical field in which to exercise what we have learned, nothing will come of our training. Some may feel that being a VIP in the church life can substitute for having a field to labor in, but that is not the case. We need to have a practical field to labor in which will bring us to Christ. Our field is where our trust in Christ and care for others becomes practical. In this field we should not exist simply as pawns, but rather we should live fulfilled lives as organic members of the body of Christ, developing and growing in function.
Adapted from David: After God’s Heart, page 72.
Tomorrow: “A Field to Labor In” (2)