count me in or count me out?
“Afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people, and said to the Lord: ‘I have sinned grievously in what I have done.’ ” —2 Samuel 24:10
Do you remember how proud you were when you learned to count to ten all by yourself? Human beings love to count. This is because we are created in the image and likeness of God, and God loves to count. One of the books of the Bible is even named Numbers. The Bible begins with seven days. The Bible ends with 144,000 saved (Rv 14:1-3), the total fulfillment of the entire Scriptures. There are twelve tribes of Israel in the Old Testament, twelve apostles in the New Testament and one-thousand shows a massive and overwhelming fullness. God, the accountant, even counts the hairs on our heads (Mt 10:30) and the number of tears we shed (Ps 56:9).
However, because our nature is fallen, our counting can be fallen. For example, David ordered a census and counted the men fit for military service (2 Sm 24:2ff). David did this against God’s will. The Lord had always told His people they would be victorious even if they were outnumbered (e.g. Lv 26:8; Jgs 7:7; 1 Sm 14:6; 1 Mc 3:18-19). So why count the troops? Didn’t David believe God?
Like David, we can sin in counting. We can count too much on money and possessions. We can count others’ sins against us and be unforgiving (cf 1 Cor 13:5). We can count ourselves better than others (cf Phil 2:3-4). We must resist these temptations to count sinfully and repent if we have sinned in these areas.
The main thing is that we can count on God, and we want Him to be able to count on us. Count in the Lord.
Prayer: Father, make me steadfast so You can count on me no matter what.
Promise: “Happy is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.” —Ps 32:1
Praise: When his wife became permanently bedridden, Alfred counted his blessings and was as loving a husband as ever.
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from February 1, 2026, through March 31, 2026. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio August 27, 2025"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.