The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 30:26,
"When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, 'Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord's enemies.'"
This plunder was what David retrieved from the Amalekites who had raided the Negev and Ziklag. In raiding and burning down Ziklag, David's wives were taken as well as all that belonged to many in his band of fighters.
Upon returning to Ziklag, David's men were beside themselves when they found their families had been plundered and began threatening to stone him. David "found strength in the Lord his God", verse 6, and pursued the raiding Amalekites and retrieved it all, including the women and children. It was from what David recovered that he sent what he did to the elders of Judah.
I note that David referred to the raiding Amalekites as "the Lord's enemies", not "my enemies" nor "the enemies of my band of warriors" or any other such kind of description. He called them "the Lord's enemies."
Although some may point to the use of relative euphemisms as to why David referred to the Amalekites as "the Lord's enemies", but I think it quite likely that he used that terminology because the Amalekites had raided Judah, the Lord's people. When you raid the Lord's people, you are raiding the Lord.
The Muslims of today may note the devastating consequences of contemplating such an unwise action.
It is my perspective that there was an even further reason David referred to those who had raided his family and the families of his band of warriors as "the Lord's enemies." That further reason is that David, in spite of any shortcomings he may have had, had placed the Lord so squarely in the middle of his life, that he would define the events he found himself in as not simply the events of his own life, but the events of the Lord himself. David's perspective at many times was that what he faced, what he encountered, the joys and heartbreaks he experienced were those the Lord shared in as well. David had given himself to the Lord in a way most do not, not reserving for himself a separate set of life experiences, but that those life experiences were his together with the Lord.
Rather than asking the Lord to help him with his own agenda, David sought the Lord's agenda. Rather than pursuing only his desires, he sought the Lord's desires. Rather than only pursuing things his way, he sought the Lord's way. I am not saying David always ordered his life in such a fashion, but it is my firm belief that this was certainly the thrust of his life.
When we subordinate ourselves to the Lord, pursue what he wants, seek him and his ways, then whatever it is we encounter in life, it is not just us facing it, but we, together with the Lord. The Lord's friends become our friends, the Lord's enemies become our enemies, the Lord's intentions become our aspirations, his agenda becomes ours.
There is much for us to learn from David, a man of whom God said, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.
"When David reached Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, 'Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the Lord's enemies.'"
This plunder was what David retrieved from the Amalekites who had raided the Negev and Ziklag. In raiding and burning down Ziklag, David's wives were taken as well as all that belonged to many in his band of fighters.
Upon returning to Ziklag, David's men were beside themselves when they found their families had been plundered and began threatening to stone him. David "found strength in the Lord his God", verse 6, and pursued the raiding Amalekites and retrieved it all, including the women and children. It was from what David recovered that he sent what he did to the elders of Judah.
I note that David referred to the raiding Amalekites as "the Lord's enemies", not "my enemies" nor "the enemies of my band of warriors" or any other such kind of description. He called them "the Lord's enemies."
Although some may point to the use of relative euphemisms as to why David referred to the Amalekites as "the Lord's enemies", but I think it quite likely that he used that terminology because the Amalekites had raided Judah, the Lord's people. When you raid the Lord's people, you are raiding the Lord.
The Muslims of today may note the devastating consequences of contemplating such an unwise action.
It is my perspective that there was an even further reason David referred to those who had raided his family and the families of his band of warriors as "the Lord's enemies." That further reason is that David, in spite of any shortcomings he may have had, had placed the Lord so squarely in the middle of his life, that he would define the events he found himself in as not simply the events of his own life, but the events of the Lord himself. David's perspective at many times was that what he faced, what he encountered, the joys and heartbreaks he experienced were those the Lord shared in as well. David had given himself to the Lord in a way most do not, not reserving for himself a separate set of life experiences, but that those life experiences were his together with the Lord.
Rather than asking the Lord to help him with his own agenda, David sought the Lord's agenda. Rather than pursuing only his desires, he sought the Lord's desires. Rather than only pursuing things his way, he sought the Lord's way. I am not saying David always ordered his life in such a fashion, but it is my firm belief that this was certainly the thrust of his life.
When we subordinate ourselves to the Lord, pursue what he wants, seek him and his ways, then whatever it is we encounter in life, it is not just us facing it, but we, together with the Lord. The Lord's friends become our friends, the Lord's enemies become our enemies, the Lord's intentions become our aspirations, his agenda becomes ours.
There is much for us to learn from David, a man of whom God said, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.
What was David's was the Lord's as well, including his enemies. How about me?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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