Let’s examine David’s situation as it stands at the moment.
On the third day, he and his men returned to their destroyed village, Ziklag.
They were joyful because they had rescued their wives, children, and the elderly who had been kidnapped by the Amalekites.
They had also succeeded in getting back everything that was stolen, plus more.
However, it was a bittersweet victory.
Their homes lay in ruins…
And recall, David was barred from fighting alongside the Philistines, who didn’t trust David.
So this anointed King-in-Waiting was caught between a rock and a hard place.
There was no place he could call home.
He hadn’t yet heard of Saul’s death.
As far as he knew, Saul was still in charge of Israel and still determined to kill him.
On top of that, David and his men were growing more worried about what might have happened to their fellow Israelites during the battle against the Philistines.
They knew they had probably lost but the question was how badly?
David must have felt a knot in his stomach when he saw a messenger running toward him, out of breath, with torn clothes and dirt in his hair.
These were the signs of someone mourning, which was common for Hebrews and other cultures in the Middle East.
The next time we meet, we’ll dig into the exchange that took place between this messenger and David.
But for now, let’s switch over to the takeaway.
No matter how difficult you think your life has been, I ask you to look at David’s life.
He had been a fugitive on the run from Saul…
He experienced having his whole family kidnapped…
He had been threatened with stoning…
And now, he was about to be told his country had just been defeated by their worst enemy.
Yet through all of this, he kept his focus on Adonai and didn’t become bitter or throw a pity party.
I tell you, this man was a warrior of warriors.
No wonder the Israelite women wrote poems and sang praises of admiration for this great man.
So if you’re going through hard times at the moment…
Whether it’s a job loss…
The death of a loved one…
Or betrayal from friends or family…
No matter what challenges you’re facing…
I sympathize.
Yet, I doubt you’ve experienced the kinds of tribulations and trials David went through.
But if you are…
You’re in my prayers…
Either way, David’s enduring faith is a good example to pattern ourselves after.
Don’t ya think?
See ya all next time.
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