Suggested Reading
When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 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.7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”
“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”
1 Samuel 30:3-8
I was listening to this scripture on my audio Bible as I drove to work and something struck me. David and his men came back home one day and met a carnage. The enemy had plundered their territory. The loss was so devastating and painful that mighty men of war wept aloud for hours until they had no strength to weep.
Men who had conquered territories.
Men who had slain people in their thousands.
Great warriors, were so moved by the pain the enemy had caused them that they wept till their strength was gone.
The bible says somewhere along the line, David encouraged himself in the Lord, sought the Lord and asked if He should go after the enemy. God answered. ‘Go after them’. He said, ‘You will overtake them and you will recover all’.
The point I would love for you to see is this – for as long as David and the men wept, God was silent. He allowed them weep. He allowed them wallow in their sorrow. God did not speak until David approached him. God didn’t speak until David turned His gaze to the One who could help. I came on here to tell someone to stop weeping! You have wept enough. Yes, the enemy hit you below the belt. Yes, the loss is devastating. Yes, the hurt is deep but as long as you keep crying, God will remain silent. Wipe those tears and turn your gaze to the One who can ensure that you recover all. Let Him be magnified in your sight. If you must continue to weep, let it be to His ears. Ask Him what you should do and then get the strategy. For David, the strategy was simple – pursue, for you shall overtake and you shall recover all!
Stop crying. Turn to the One who can help you recover all!
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for who you are. I repent of taking my eyes away from you as a result of my hurt and my pain. Today, I readjust my gaze and I look to you. What shall I do Lord? What is your strategy? Thank you for I know that those who come to you can never be cast away! I give you praise and I give you glory! Continue to take all the glory Almighty God in Jesus mighty name.
