Read 1 Sam. 30
David is returning home to Ziklag after being restrained from fighting with the Philistines against Saul. (FYI: the place they met to fight was "Aphek", means "restrained".) They found Ziklag ravaged, burned down and all their wives and children taken. ("Ziklag" means "enveloped in grief".) All of David's men wept in distress, but David encouraged himself in the Lord. (David was good at that.) Instead of wallowing in self-pity he turned to the only one who could help - God. He called forth Abiathar the priest to use the ephod to inquire of God whether to go after their families. Most men would have assumed they should do this and run blindly, out of rage. But David quieted himself to hear from God. God alone had the answer and the solution. He said, "Go, you'll get it all back." So they did, and got it all back and more.
David's men had trouble with sharing their spoils with the men that were too weary to fight. David made a proclamation that the ones fighting and the ones "staying with the stuff" got the same thing. Thank God for that. Think of all our forefathers have done for us that we enjoy for free. Isn't that what grace is all about? We sure didn't do anything to receive eternal life. Jesus fought that battle all by himself and we live daily enjoying his spoils. David even went a step further and shared his personal spoil with over 13 towns that had been a help to him. What an example of leadership!
I am going to try to remember this the next time I get a letter from a teen-ager going on a mission trip or when I get an offer to give to a worthy cause or the next time I am tempted to think anything is mine. Will I share my spoils with God? They are His anyway.
Another interesting observation: when we get back from the devil what he has stollen from us, we need to get all of it back and more.
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