March 22, 2009

David Found Strength

"David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God." 1 Samuel 30:6

In this passage of scripture we find that David and his men have returned from the Philistine territory where they were willing to go to battle with the Philistines against the Philistine's enemies. However, the Philistine commanders did not trust David and felt that David and his men would turn on them. So they sent him and his men back to Ziklag where David's camp was set up. But when David returned to Ziklag, he found it burned to the ground by the Amalakites. The Amalakites had also taken their wives, children and possessions captive.

In verse 6 we see that David's men have blamed him for what has happened and they are about to turn against him and stone him to death. What I find to be the most intriguing part of this story is the very next line where it reads, " But David found strength in the Lord his God." That is powerful! Here we find David with NOTHING! He has lost his wife and all his possessions to his enemy and now his friends are about to turn on him as well. Most of us would give up and quit. But not David! He turned to God with whom he had a great relationship and found strength to go on in the face of great adversity.

The result? Well, in the remainder of that chapter we read how David defeated the Amalakites and rescued all of the wives, children and possessions completely. In verse 19 we read, "Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken." Wow! Now that is leadership at its best. Take heart, find strength...and LEAD ON!

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