When tragedy strikes…. where do we turn?
“So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 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’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 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 his daughters; but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:3-6
David’s life was fraught with difficulties. He was overlooked by his father, misjudged by his brothers, revolted against by his own son and rejected by his king. In the verses above, David and his men, in an attempt to run away from King Saul, had gone to the camp of the Philistines, the enemy of Israel. At that time, Israel was planning to attack the Philistines so David took his men and offered to help the Philistines but his offer was rejected. On returning to their city, Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had invaded, totally destroyed and burned it down and taken their wives including David’s two wives, children and livestock with them. When David and his men saw this tragedy that had occurred, they cried till they had no more strength to cry. The men then turned against David and wanted to kill him but David ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord.
Friends, tragedy is not new. It comes to everyone at one point or the other. Recently we witnessed one tragedy of great proportion, the Tsunami. It is estimated that over 150,000 people lost their lives. Hundreds of whole villages and cities were destroyed; billions of dollars worth of property was lost. Thousands have been left orphans, widows and widowers.
Where does one turn at a time like this when all seems lost?
The key to this question is found in David’s strategy. He ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord his God. As Christians we are not like those that have no hope. We have a living hope. We know that even when things do not seem to be going in the right direction, He is still on the throne. He has promised that though suffering and pain may be there for a night, joy is coming in the morning. David ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord. This means that he rehearsed in his heart the victories the Lord had enabled him to gain until it came to the point when his soul aligned itself with God’s thoughts. He ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord by meditating on His mercies that are new each and every morning and His faithfulness that is forevermore. He ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord knowing that though heaven and earth may pass away, God’s Word, His promises, will never pass away. David ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord by looking at the Lord’s testimonies. He remembered how Job, who was the richest man in the east, lost everything he had including, his children. But when his wife told him to curse God and die, he instead declared “I know my redeemer liveth.”
Like Job, as children of God we have a living hope. We have an assurance. Because we have this hope, this assurance, we need not fear when disaster comes we know that our Redeemer liveth and that He is in control. We have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind. Because of this hope, this assurance, we too can ENCOURAGE ourselves in the Lord, knowing that He is with us.
Note that it was in this time of encouraging himself in the Lord that God gave David a strategy on what to do. We read in 1 Samuel 30:8, “And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Pursue: for thou shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all”.
David knew that there was nothing he or his men could do in their own strength. But He knew God was their Helper. So in the midst of encouraging himself in the Lord he asked what he should do. As one song writer wrote, “Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear; all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.” David took the matter to God in prayer and God gave him the answer.
Friends, may God help us so that we too can learn to ENCOURAGE ourselves in the Lord. We should learn to look to Him and not let the circumstances weigh us down. He said we should cast all our burdens upon Him because He cares for us. Today, let us give Him that heavy chain, the troublesome issue, the heavy yoke and let him take care of it. He alone is the perfect comforter. He alone can give us peace like a river to attend to our soul.
Prayer:
Father, in Jesus Mighty Name, I pray for peace for these your dear children that are going through situations that are too heavy for them to carry. You God are the only one who is able to lighten the load. Father, encourage your children. Every heart that is downcast we declare the encouragement from above. Lord, you are the lifter of our head. Let every head that is hung low be lifted up today. Father, help your children to realize that the same God who enabled David “recover all” and gave Job “double for his trouble”, is with them and that through tragedy, you can make triumph to spring forth. We believe you are the creator and giver of all perfect gifts. We love you and we bless you in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.
Guest Article for December 2004
