Devastated But Not Defeated
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin Overfield
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001
While contemplating our nation's present distress, I feel so very
inadequate to comment. However, the Word of God, the Bible,
has help for us in every situation of life, both in the good times
and in the bad.
Devastated But Not Defeated
"Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice
and wept, until they had no more power to weep ... And David was
greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the
soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his
daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
(I Samuel 30:4, 6 -- see context)
Sometimes we cannot fully comprehend the problem(s) we face. We
may experience great difficulty, devastation, and distress. At such times
there may seem to be no easy answers -- no simple formula to fix the
problem. So is it with what the United States of America is presently
experiencing. At such a time, we may let the experience defeat us in
some degree, or we may overcome by the grace of God.
In the above Scripture passage, we find that David faces just such a
problem. I see here some similarities between David and his small
society's difficulty and that of our nation's dreadful tragedy. These
unchanging and unchangeable principles can help us greatly no matter
how personal or how widespread the difficulty may be. They are true
for you, for me and for the nation at large.
Returning from being distrusted by the high leadership of the Philistines,
David and his men came back to their home city. It was on fire and
their wives and children were all gone! When slapped in the face by
the reality of this great tragedy, David and the people with him wept
until they could weep no more. Haven't some of us done the same?
David was Distressed and his Group of Followers were Grieved
The verbs in the Hebrew translated as DISTRESS and GRIEVED are
in the imperfect tense. This tense is used here of an action in the past
that was not repeated, nor was it completed. In other words, the
distress that David had and the grief, bitterness, of his people here were
not just a momentary experience, but were ongoing. Oh, how many
times have people endured the emotional pain of some dreadful
experience, not just momentarily but for hours, days, months, or even
years!
Add to how awful David felt and how uncertain seemed his near future
the fact that he also faced his followers' desperate, irrational talk that
they
might kill him by stoning. Oh, how nice they were to add another heavy
weight upon the back of one already well nigh broken! "It's all you're
fault, David!"
At this point we read, "But, David encouraged himself in the LORD."
When no one else is around or ready to assist by encouraging, one can
and should encourage himself. Not always will someone else understand
what we are going through or know what to say. Then we should
encourage ourselves. But, remember this requires fixing our attention
upon the LORD.
Courage and strength are related and synonymous. We gain both from
the LORD, Who "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
(Psalm 46:1) " The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Lastly, we find David inquiring of the LORD what HE would have him
to do. Then David did it and God helped him. Though the particular
answer is not always the same, God is our ultimate answer.
At this time, the USA is in great distress and it is ongoing. We are
disappointed that some we have tried to help have bitten the very hand
that has fed them. Some of our own people are trying to blame our
government, our president, our policies, or our people. We are
collectively weeping over the loss of friends, loved ones, and fellow
countrymen. Some may have run out of tears.
But, let us do as David did and lift our hearts and our voices in prayer
to the One Who can give us courage, strength, and victory over every
difficulty. Let us inquire of Him, the Almighty God, Who has all the
answers that we may know what we ought to do and receive His
assistance as we endeavor to do His will. Let us encourage ourselves
in the LORD our God!
May we let God use our devastation to draw us nearer to Himself and to
teach us to love and care for our neighbors.
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
Please pass this note along to anyone who might be interested or helped by
it. To subscribe to FREE Bible Notes please send an empty e-mail to
[email protected]