July 11, 2020 -- I Samuel 30:6b -- Strengthened in the LORD

But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

I Samuel 30:6b

It was one of those “really, LORD?!” moments. David had long ago been anointed King of Israel by the prophet Samuel. But David had to wait until the time appointed by the Promise-Keeping God. He waited years, in fact. King Saul, David’s father-in-law tried to kill him, more than once. David had a rag-tag army of malcontents and tax evaders who had gathered around him. He was learning the hard lessons of leadership through their grumbling willfulness. Now these men had turned solidly against him. The context of our verse is this: David and his army returned to their camp to find their women, children, cattle and possessions stolen in a raid by their enemies.

It was a low point after a series of low points. The men wept to exhaustion. David wept. In fact it says in I Samuel 30:4 they all wept until they had no more strength to weep. Now anger was creeping in. The men wanted to kill David. They were picking up rocks preparing to stone him to death because they were bitter in soul. No doubt as we read this we can image David crying out to God in anger or frustration or shaking his fists to the heavens. Not so.

David strengthened himself in the LORD. He spoke with God His Lord, the High King of Heaven. David placed his trust in the Living God. He fought against the usual emotions we’d expect. He mastered himself. No matter how dire the circumstances, he placed his hope for that moment in the hands of God Who alone is faithful and true. It is a profound moment in David’s life. It is a why David is described as “a man after God’s own heart” I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).

David was far from perfect. He was as sinful as you and me. What distinguished him was his iron-clad will to be fully submitted to the Living God. When David’s plans failed and collapsed around him, he renewed his decision to follow the commandments of God. When his sins were pointed out to him, he didn’t justify himself or try to squirm away from acknowledging them, he confessed them freely and renewed his vow to serve the LORD.

Teach me, Spirit of God, to strengthen myself in Christ the King so that my will and my ways may be pleasing to our Father in heaven. Guide me, Spirit of Truth, in the way everlasting. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT4n1hGjDDg