“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
1 SAMUEL 30-31
3When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.(30:3-6)
JOURNAL
David's strength does not come from his popularity or the devotion of his men. His strength comes from his trust in God. God is the only thing that sustains him in this moment. For he has just lost everything and now even the devotion of his men is in question. He is at another low point but God strengthens him.
Again this story of David is so encouraging. After all that has happened he still finds strength in God...he doesn't panic, he doesn't waver he seeks God and finds strength. This is the Kingdom of God. The spiritual kingdom is transformative and it overcomes all doubts and adversity. It is God's gift, it is the treasure in the field, it is the embrace of the prodigal father, it is the diligent shepherd who refuses to leave us lost, it is the persistent savior who ultimately takes our place and redeems our sin.
God gives us the keys to the kingdom, he gives us his spirit...why should I ever fear or doubt? Why would I ever back down from a challenge, why would I ever turn away from adversity and conflict. The living God of David, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, Paul and all the apostles resides within me...yet even when I blow it and come crawling back, he forgives me, picks me up, dusts me off and is ready to walk with me into another day. What a God and what a life!
31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”j37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
David's strength does not come from his popularity or the devotion of his men. His strength comes from his trust in God. God is the only thing that sustains him in this moment. For he has just lost everything and now even the devotion of his men is in question. He is at another low point but God strengthens him.
Again this story of David is so encouraging. After all that has happened he still finds strength in God...he doesn't panic, he doesn't waver he seeks God and finds strength. This is the Kingdom of God. The spiritual kingdom is transformative and it overcomes all doubts and adversity. It is God's gift, it is the treasure in the field, it is the embrace of the prodigal father, it is the diligent shepherd who refuses to leave us lost, it is the persistent savior who ultimately takes our place and redeems our sin.
God gives us the keys to the kingdom, he gives us his spirit...why should I ever fear or doubt? Why would I ever back down from a challenge, why would I ever turn away from adversity and conflict. The living God of David, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, Paul and all the apostles resides within me...yet even when I blow it and come crawling back, he forgives me, picks me up, dusts me off and is ready to walk with me into another day. What a God and what a life!
31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”j
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 8:31-39
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