1 Sam
30: ~6-19 (ESV) And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of
stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and
daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the
son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod
to David. 8 And David inquired of the
Lord, "Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?" He
answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely
rescue." 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, .
. .
11 They
found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. . . . He said,
"I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me
behind because I fell sick three days ago. 14
We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherethites and against that
which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag
with fire." 15 And David said to him, "Will you take me down to this
band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or
deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this
band."
. . .
And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and
not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels
and fled. 18 David recovered all that
the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was
missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had
been taken. David brought back all.
NOTE: After David
pours out his soul to God, and under the threat of mutiny, he seeks God's will.
Maybe it was a time of repentance for his deception. Maybe it was just learning
to deal with tremendous disappointment and pain. Whatever, a lot of things will
change quickly in David's life. Finding his family will be most important, but
immediately afterwards he will be pronounced King of Judah because of the death
of Saul and his sons on the battlefield. At this point, David's attention is to
his own family, and the families of his soldiers. He is greatly distressed, but
he does not give up on God. He goes to God with his distress; he is refreshed
by God; he seeks direction from God.
The lesson is clear
to us as well. Go to God with your pain. Seek him and find strength in him.
Then seek Him for the next steps. Sometimes the next steps are few and not very
far out into the future. The next step may only take you into the next day, but
keep seeking God. He will provide what is best (His best, not yours). He
promises that to all of his children.
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