Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on
the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag,
and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the
women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and
carried them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city,
behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their
daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him
lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now
David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail
the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because
the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one
because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD
his God.
In this passage I would say David is having a pretty bad day. He and his men were just returning home, only to find the city burned and their wives and children taken captive. And on top of his wives being taken, all the people wanted to kill him because he was in charge (so naturally it was his fault). These people were so upset that they wept until they had no strength to weep. That's some hard core mourning. I mean, I've been pretty upset at times but I've never wept so much that I was too weak to do it anymore. But Davids response here is so encouraging to me. David wasn't some super human. He was just an ordinary man, just like us. He experienced loss. He had people get angry with him, even to the point that they wanted to kill him. When we think of David we usually think of him killing Goliath, or slaying the bear, or the lion, or killing thousands. We think of him as a mighty warrior. But here in this passage we see him weak. So weak that he can't even weep anymore. "But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." That's awesome! He doesn't get mad at the people for blaming him. He doesn't remind everyone of all the great things he's done for them. And he doesn't blame God. In his distress, in his weakness he strengthens himself in the LORD his God. David knew that God was the only source of strength. What an incredible example for us.
In this passage I would say David is having a pretty bad day. He and his men were just returning home, only to find the city burned and their wives and children taken captive. And on top of his wives being taken, all the people wanted to kill him because he was in charge (so naturally it was his fault). These people were so upset that they wept until they had no strength to weep. That's some hard core mourning. I mean, I've been pretty upset at times but I've never wept so much that I was too weak to do it anymore. But Davids response here is so encouraging to me. David wasn't some super human. He was just an ordinary man, just like us. He experienced loss. He had people get angry with him, even to the point that they wanted to kill him. When we think of David we usually think of him killing Goliath, or slaying the bear, or the lion, or killing thousands. We think of him as a mighty warrior. But here in this passage we see him weak. So weak that he can't even weep anymore. "But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." That's awesome! He doesn't get mad at the people for blaming him. He doesn't remind everyone of all the great things he's done for them. And he doesn't blame God. In his distress, in his weakness he strengthens himself in the LORD his God. David knew that God was the only source of strength. What an incredible example for us.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected
in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well
content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with
difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
I know some of you are going through some pretty weird changes in your lives right now. But I just want to encourage you to strengthen yourselves in the Lord. Whatever else may be piling onto our schedules, we need to make time to strengthen ourselves in Him. "Clear the table" as Mr. Bailey talked about. And remember, when I'm weak, He is strong.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
I know some of you are going through some pretty weird changes in your lives right now. But I just want to encourage you to strengthen yourselves in the Lord. Whatever else may be piling onto our schedules, we need to make time to strengthen ourselves in Him. "Clear the table" as Mr. Bailey talked about. And remember, when I'm weak, He is strong.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
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