When You are Down, Do NOT Stay There
Sometimes when we are down, feeling bad about our situation, we can fall for the unrealistic expectation that someone else is going to come along and do something FOR US. After all, don't we deserve it? Aren't we powerless and in such need that people must rally around us?
For sure, the Church should rally around those who are down in life. But to expect this to happen for you is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes people will not come to your aid when you most need them. Such is the case for David in 1 Samuel 30. Now we have already looked at how David "strengthened himself in God." Now he does something of great significance right after that:
1 Samuel 30:7–9 (ESV) 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, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
The Ephod was the garment the priest wore for discerning the Lord's will in difficult matters. Consider that David is not waiting for anyone to help him here. He wants to know God's thoughts regarding his plight. What can HE DO to remedy the situation? The question David asks is about advancing against those who stole his family and goods. The Lord's response is affirmative. And David goes off to war.
The best thing you can do when life beats you down is to seek God's will and then expect to get busy. There's no use to sitting around waiting for things to get better or moping around complaining. That kind of life is empty and useless.
Notice what happens as a result of David's action:
1 Samuel 30:11–12 (ESV) They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.
1 Samuel 30:19–20 (ESV) Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
Now, of course, we need to see Jesus in this text. He is the one who reclaims what the devil stole. He's the one who is kind to the stranger left for dead by the enemy. He is the one who finds all that was missing, every son and daughter of God that was taken captive. We who are reclaimed by Christ become His spoil, but more than that, His family.
For sure, the Church should rally around those who are down in life. But to expect this to happen for you is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes people will not come to your aid when you most need them. Such is the case for David in 1 Samuel 30. Now we have already looked at how David "strengthened himself in God." Now he does something of great significance right after that:
1 Samuel 30:7–9 (ESV) 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, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
The Ephod was the garment the priest wore for discerning the Lord's will in difficult matters. Consider that David is not waiting for anyone to help him here. He wants to know God's thoughts regarding his plight. What can HE DO to remedy the situation? The question David asks is about advancing against those who stole his family and goods. The Lord's response is affirmative. And David goes off to war.
The best thing you can do when life beats you down is to seek God's will and then expect to get busy. There's no use to sitting around waiting for things to get better or moping around complaining. That kind of life is empty and useless.
Notice what happens as a result of David's action:
1 Samuel 30:11–12 (ESV) They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink, 12 and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. And when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.
Now this man is in desperate need himself and David helps him! Notice how David does not let his despair keep him from helping others in need. And now what a stranger this man turns out to be! He's from the very raiding band that stole David's goods and family. The man was left for dead because he was sick by the Amalekite leader. David's help turns this man into a friend and integral player in David's quest for he will provide the whereabouts of the terrorizing band who stole David's goods!
You see how positive, forward-moving action leads David to reclaim his life and getting back his goods? The moment must not be missed. God blesses activity. You may think He wants you to just think about life, pray and contemplate the universe but you'd be wrong. There's time for that, but action makes things happen. Action opens doors. More importantly, kindness to strangers leads to better things more often than we realize.
1 Samuel 30:15 (ESV) 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.”
David's kindness to the stranger opens the door to reclaiming his goods and family. He finds the raiding band, wipes them out and gets EVERYTHING he lost back.
1 Samuel 30:19–20 (ESV) Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
Now, of course, we need to see Jesus in this text. He is the one who reclaims what the devil stole. He's the one who is kind to the stranger left for dead by the enemy. He is the one who finds all that was missing, every son and daughter of God that was taken captive. We who are reclaimed by Christ become His spoil, but more than that, His family.
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