1 Samuel 30

In our life of faith, there are bound to be times when we are at the peak of our faith, and sometimes at the rock bottom.

I believe David, a man after God’s heart, had his share of such ups and downs of his faith in God too.

In today’s reading, we saw David’s faith in God and also his wise decision regarding the distribution of the spoils recovered from the Amalekites.

Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 30

Standing Firm In God

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the

soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.

But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

1Samuel 30:6

The Philistines invaded Ziklag and the Negev and took away the wives, sons and daughters of David and his followers. Then David was in great distress, but he had an additional pressure, and that was his followers wanted to stone him.

David’s situation was like being trapped among angry wild beasts who wanted to devour him. But, he stood firm in the mercies of God.

Whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You.

In God (I will praise His word),

In God I have put my trust;

I will not fear.

What can flesh do to me?

Psalms 56:3 – 4

Yes indeed, “What can flesh do to me?” (Matthew 10: 28)

Being a leader is never easy, because one cannot please everyone every time.

David, being a mere man, could not foresee what was to come upon the soldiers and their families.

But why did David’s followers put all the blame on him? David would have prevented his own wives from being taken captives if he knew such thing would take place.

Nothing in the world seemed to matter now, but only vengeance could fill the minds of these violent and unreasonable people. Well, maybe this was just human reaction to pains and extreme grieves? But was this justifiable?

Very often, when there is grieve or pain, we always feel that someone has to be blamed and to bear some or full responsibilities of the consequence of the pain and grieve.

I remember a church brother once grumbled, “When I have done something well, there are no words of appreciation. But when I’ve accidentally done some mistakes, I get a lot of blames and words of sarcasm! Just because someone has to answer for it, fingers must start pointing!”

Have we encountered such situations? Or have we become those that start to blame or pass sarcastic remarks when we can’t tolerate people making mistakes?

As members in the Body of Christ, we have to have tolerance among ourselves, and also to first put ourselves into the shoes of others who are doing their works, so that we can empathize with the difficulties and challenges they have to face while doing their parts.

When things go wrong in church, do we first look for people to answer for their wrong, or do we first seek God’s help and guidance to make things right according to His will?

David, in such situation, knew how to turn to God, whereas the rest just allowed their raging emotions to take over their minds.

David quickly inquired of the Lord to seek His will.

Understand It Is God Who Protects And Gives

After the victory of killing the Philistines and restoring their belongings with extra spoils, what attitude did the people harbor?

But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the LORD has given us,

who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.

1Samaule 30:23

The worthless people thought that it was by their own might and valor that they were able to recover all their belongings with the extra spoils from the Amalekites, so they refused to share them with those who did not go up to fight against the Philistines with them.

But David understood that if not for God’s protection and preservation, they would not have been able to defeat the Philistines and got back their belongings with the extra spoils.

The wisdom and kindness of David was shown here. He not only shared the spoils with those who did not go up to fight due to exhaustion, he also sent gifts to the elders of Judah, Bethel, Ramoth,  Jattir, and many other places which David had roamed (vv 26 – 31).

Partiality is definitely not part of God’s will among His children.

After the Holy Spirit had established the apostolic church, the believers had everything in common.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Acts 2:44 – 45

Members of our church today, especially in Singapore, may not experience poverty or the need to sell off our belongings to share the proceeds among the brethren, but the spirit of sharing must not be lacking in this big divine family.

What are we to share? Yes, it’s the God given agape love that we have to share among our brethren. Freely we’ve received from God; freely we shall share with our brethren.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,

that you also love one another.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34 – 35

All whom we see in church are called by God; we must not show partiality in our treatment towards our spiritual siblings.

Our Lord also commanded us, in the Sermon on the Mount, that we must go the extra mile for those who need our help. Can we do that?

May God help us all to understand God’s attributes, so that we can learn to overcome our human weaknesses, and also to act beyond our human principles. In so doing, then can we all fulfill the desires and commandments of our Heavenly Father to truly love one another in His household.

Shalom!