Seeking the Face of God

 

And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 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. (1 Samuel 30:3-6 ESV).

 

Our reading today is taken from David’s time in Ziklag. It was one of the darkest hours in his life. One day, when David was out of the city, the Amalekites invaded and burned his city to the ground. David's family and children were taken captive, and all his possessions were totally destroyed. By now, David had spent 10 years as fugitive from Saul and he was already battle-weary. The anguish was so great that he and his men cried "until they [had] no more power to weep" (v. 4). The men around him were so emotionally grieved that they turned against him and wanted to stone him to death. A Ziklag type of circumstance is where most Christians forsake their faith and give up on life. But God is the God of restoration. In Him there is hope. Let me make several suggestions:

 

§  First, decide to regain what you have lost. Restoration happens only when you want to regain what you have lost. David wept before the Lord. God always honors a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

 

§  Second, seek the Lord. In the midst of all the confusion, "David encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (v. 6). There will be moments when you have to go to God's presence individually to find strength in Him. David started seeking the face of God to know His mind in the midst of his difficult situation.

 

§  Third, surround yourself with mature, strong believers. David had 600 men, but at Brook Besor, only 400 remained with him, as the others were too weary to continue. Surround yourself with strong believers who have the spiritual stamina to last the distance with you.

 

§  Fourth, persevere. Never become complacent. Although David and his men were exhausted, they fought the Amalekites until the latter was totally subdued (v. 17). There is always hope and restoration in God. He is the source of all restoration of hope.

 

Seek the Lord… in Him there is an abundance of hope!