It was a dark and stormy night there in Israel. Well, OK - it could have been daylight - but there was definitely a storm brewing in their hearts and souls of David's army.
David and his men had returned to their homes, only to discover that the Amalekites had invaded, burned down everything, and taken the women captives. The good news was they hadn't slain any of the captives, but had taken all the prisoners with them as they went on their way. (I Samuel 30:1-2)
Well actually - it was somewhat worse than that. Besides burning the city and taking the women captive, they also too their sons and their daughters as well. (v 3)
Naturally, David and his army were upset - so they did what all real men do in a crises situation. They burst into tears - and cried until they couldn't cry anymore. (v 4)
Then David became even more distressed because the people started talking of stoning him. Then David panicked and fled into the hills, where he died a lonely old man living in a cave. Oops. Wait a minute. That isn't how the Bible tells this story. It says, "But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (v6)
David enquired of the Lord what to do next. "Shall I pursue the enemy? Will I overtake them?
And the Lord answered David, 'PURSUE THE ENEMY." You will not only overtake them, you will recover all without fail.
So that is what David did. He set out on a jaunty little pony ride, overtook the enemy, and the Amalakites surrendered everything without a fight.
Oops again. That isn't exactly what happened.
David and 600 men set out in hot pursuit of the enemy. It was an exhausting chase. They came to a creek and there 200 men were left to rest because they were just plain tuckered out. That means they were really tired - so tired they couldn't go on. (v 9)
David took off again with 400 men in hot pursuit of the Amalakites. Eventually a gravely ill Egyptian was found. They fed him and revived him, and then enquired of him as to the whereabouts of the enemy. (v 11-13)
The Egyptian told David he was a servant to an Amalekite, and his master left him behind when he fell ill. He said they were the company that had taken captive the families of David and his men. He agreed to lead David's men to the Amalakites in exchange for his personal safety and freedom. (v 15)
David and his warriors found the Amalakites, smote them for at least a day and a night, and recovered everything. (v18-19)
Then David ticked off his 400 warriors who wanted to keep all the spoils for themselves. David insisted that they divide the spoils equally among the themselves AND the 200 men who had stayed at the brook. David said the spoil was given to them by the Lord and it would be divided equally with those who could not continue on the quest because of physical weakness. (v - 23)
OK - this is a super cool story. It has many lessons, but this is what I want to focus on.
In the midst of tragedy and extreme uncertainty David 'encouraged himself in the Lord.'
When David was certain the Lord had given him instructions on what to do - he did it. So certain was David of the Lord's instructions that he continued going forward even when one third of his army was to weak to follow.
God blessed David with victory just as He said He would - although it was a long battle - more than a day and a night.
David gave God the credit for the victory even though it had been so hard physically for David and his army to even catch the Amalakites, much less whoop the tar out of them. (That's Southern for 'David's army had a very decisive victory'.)
Here is the encouraging word for you personally. In the midst of a great trial, David encouraged himself in the Lord. Whatever trial you are facing - great or small - encourage yourself in the Lord. You do this by reading your Bible and praying for wisdom and understanding. You do what you know to do until God gives you additional instructions. He will give you a 'game plan'. Then pursue the plan with all your heart and all your might - just like David did. When you win a victory, or resolve the problem, give God the credit just like David did.
An aside here is that the 200 men left behind because of exhaustion were given no reproach for their weakness. They were rewarded as though they had been in the battle against the Amalakites. Some times, each of us will be numbered in the 200. There will be times we honestly cannot reach the goal for which we were striving. Don't despair. God knows your heart. He will care for you just as He cared for these 200 soldiers who were to weak to even reach the battle - much less fight in it. Remember David's example. The glory of victory belongs to the Lord - not to those who fought in the battle.
Would you like to know the secret of David's success? In Psalms 17:8 David prays, "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of they wings". In Proverbs 7:2 God says, 'Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye".
This is the key to being able to encourage yourself in the Lord. If you keep God as the apple of your eye - He will keep you as the apple of His eye. Another example of gaining the good favor of God is from the book of Daniel. Daniel was a man greatly beloved by God (Daniel 9:23). You can see from Daniel's life that he loved God greatly. As you love God - so will He love you in return. (Keep in mind that Christ loved us all so much that He died for us while we were still sinners. I am speaking here not of salvation, but of a loving and respectful relationship that receives daily maintenance.)
All believers are not strong enough to encourage themselves in the Lord. Some are new believers and haven't yet learned what the Lord considers acceptable behavior. Others are refusing to grow as Christians. Strong Christians are to encourage the weak. Regardless of exactly 'why' a brother or sister is weak, we are to encourage each other.
Isaiah 41:6 tells us, 'they helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, 'Be of good courage.' Can you remember a time when some one gave you an encouraging word? Can you remember the last time you gave an encouraging word to someone else? This is important. Don't wait for someone to encourage you before you start encouraging others. Galatians 6:2 tells us, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
This is good news. You don't have to wait for some one to encourage you. As a believer you have the opportunity to encourage yourself in the Lord. Even in a dire situation like David was in, when the crowd was getting ready to stone him, he faced the challenge by looking to God for help. Then, when YOU are strong in the Lord, strengthen those who are yet weak. David was the one who got the word from the Lord to pursue the enemy. David was the one who got the promise that they would overtake them and recover everything. But then - it was David who had to convince the warriors that he really did hear from God. He had to convince them to the extent that they were willing to follow David in a strenuous military campaign - when they were tired to begin with.
To be strong in the Lord when a great trial comes, it is necessary that you flex you faith muscles right now. It is the Lord who will strengthen you to get through even the easy days. He will strengthen you to hold onto that crummy job until He gives you a better job. He will even strengthen you to be thankful for the job you have right now. He will strengthen you in whatever trial or adversity you are facing right now. In trusting God through the smaller trials you will gain strength for the greater trials that are coming.
That we can find encouragement in the Lord is good news. The bad news is that we need that encouragement now more than ever before. Take the time to set God as the apple of your eye right now. Make knowing Him better a priority in your daily activities.
I believe that times are going to get really tough for Christians. In order to be prepared for that future spiritually, it is imperative that Christians take God and His instructions for living seriously today.
Have you ever been in a church service where the song leader does one verse of a song, then interrupts the singing and tells everyone to go around and shake hands with their neighbor? So we all go around shaking hands, smiling a frozen smile, and saying, 'glad your here,' 'glad you could make it', 'thanks for coming' and things like that. Then we go back to our seats, rub our hands with germ killer, and sit down for the service. We have done what was asked of us, but we have not made any real contact with anyone. That is often the way we approach God. We do what is outwardly required of us, but inwardly we are still far from Him.
If you want to be a strong enough Christian to be able to 'encourage yourself in the Lord' - you must actually establish a relationship that goes beyond your salvation. You must give God more than 'lip' service. You must give Him your heart. That is the only kind of relationship that will take you through the trials that this world is preparing for those who follow Jesus.
The song for this article is Nearer My God to Thee. One line says, "Even though it be a cross - nearer to Thee'. My friend - any cross you may be called to bear because of your nearness to Jesus Christ will be light compared to the cross you will bear without Him. In stepping closer to Jesus - you are not only choosing to walk the narrow way - you are choosing the way that will be easiest to walk. I did not say 'easy to walk - for it will often be hard; but it will be easier than walking without Him. Do you doubt this? Then - imagine this. What if David had not been able to 'strengthen himself in the Lord' on the day he and his army returned home to find their families kidnapped by the enemy? Would they have been able to recover their families and a great amount of treasure as they did? Or would they have lived their rest of their lives without ever seeing their families again - and with all their worldly possessions burned or stolen?
Please take the time to strengthen yourself in the Lord today - apply yourself to getting to know and rely on the Lord better as if you were an athlete training for a great competition.
Please take the time to encourage a weaker or weary brother or sister today.
Thank you for reading my article. God bless you.
Barbara Henderson
Nearer My God to Thee
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
2
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
3
There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
4
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
5
Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
Barbara Henderson writes articles to help and encourage Christians. These articles reflect her Christian World View. Barbara is the author of 'The Broad Way', a Christian fiction book available online through most major book sellers. Barbara loves to hear from her readers. You may visit her at http://www.tobarbara.blogspot.com Barbara and her husband Jerry have been married since 1971. They live in Olympia near their children and grandchildren. They have a dog, a cat, and a bird as pets. They love the Bible, camping, hiking, photograph, and any family activity. Barbara says, 'If you need an article on a specific Christian subject, please let me know. If I have something already written I will send it to you; or I will write something specific for you. Thank you.' Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Henderson |
