THEME: “TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, TOUGH PEOPLE DO”
Read 1 Samuel 30: 1-19
DAVID’S TRAVAIL IN ZIKLAG
Key Verse: “So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives” (I Samuel 30:18 NKJV).
David’s travail in Ziklag from the hands of the Amalekites is an example of one of the tough times he went through in the wilderness. The Amalekites attacked Ziklag, David’s base and caused a great casualty on them. They burnt down the camp and carted away the properties belonging to David and his men. Worse still, they took away David’s wives and that of his volunteers, as captives.
The experience was emotionally devastating for David and his men. “Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep” (I Samuel 30:4 NKJV). Though David commanded the respect of his volunteers, on this occasion they blamed him for their loss and threatened to stone him. But David’s calm and calculated response to the accusation was very exemplary.
His first action in trying to navigate out of this situation was to seek the face of the Lord on what to do. The Lord told him to pursue the Amalekites. When he set out to pursue the Amalekites, he found an Egyptian, who was abandoned by his master, who revealed to him that it was the Amalekites who were responsible for burning the camp. He then led him to where he eventually found them.
David mobilized his 600 volunteers to pursue these Amalekites. Along the way, 200 of the volunteers dropped behind because they were too weary to continue the chase after their enemies. David continued his chase with the remaining 400 until he was able to get to where the Amalekites had camped. His counter-attack against the raiders lasted “from twilight until the evening of the next day,” until he recovered all they had carried away.
His ability to follow the leading given by the Egyptian enabled him to discover where they were and to recover all they had stolen and carried away as captives. At times, God sets up people on our way who may show us the way out of tough times. Our trials are momentary we shall outlive them.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to be calm when life gets tough and rough, and to quietly follow your leading on what best to do.
