Meditation on 1 Samuel 30 – David is strengthened in the Lord and recovers everything

The narrative is straightforward. Having been dismissed by the Philistine leaders, David and his six hundred men travel back to Ziklag, which they had made their home. The journey time (three days to travel 50 miles) may indicate their fatigue and lack of emotional resilience. In their absence an Amalekite raiding party attacked Ziklag and took captive the women and children. This understandably caused great distress to David and his men. David’s distress was compounded as his men blamed him for the situation and considered stoning him. The chapter then describes how the situation was turned around and the families rescued. There follows an account of how David fairly treats his followers who were too exhausted to continue the rescue mission to the end.

David wasn’t in a good place spiritually, let alone mentally and physically. He’d gone over to the Philistines, the enemies of God’s people, and compromised his personal faith and leadership standing. The passage shows the grace of God to those who love him even when they have drifted away, an encouragement to us if we are struggling.

When disaster struck, “David found strength in the Lord his God” (verse 6). In such tragic circumstances this was the only recourse open to him. The Scriptures often speak of God drawing close to his people and giving them a deep inner strength. Asaph declares, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:26). Such strength is God-given and enables his people to have courage in the most difficult of circumstances.

God’s presence strengthens those who hope and trust in him. I have experienced the Lord drawing near in difficult times. Nehemiah 8:10 tells us that “the joy of the Lord is [our] strength”. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit is the key to spiritual strength. This is then maintained by waiting upon or hoping in the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), spending time before him in worship, prayer, and Scripture meditation. And then we are also in a position to engage in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-11).

Having been strengthened in the Lord, David sought God’s guidance about the next step. Use was made of the ephod, a linen garment worn by the high priest. It had two stones (called urim and thummim) which could give yes or no answers to questions directed towards the Lord. Since the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost, these are no longer needed to determine God’s will. Believers can now listen directly to God. The problem is we are often in such a hurry that we miss what God says. However, the chapter shows clear that we need to know God’s mind on important matters before we act.

In verse 18, we read “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken”. Here is an important principle. When the enemy steals God’s blessing, we can call on God for restoration. Yes, there may be loss and trauma resulting from the things that happen, which may even be the result of our bad decisions and undisciplined life. However, there is always forgiveness and healing. We can know the grace of God’s presence, the ability to forgive others, spiritual restoration, and renewed fruitfulness in our lives.

These principles of restoration apply at personal, church, and national level. In the past, God has richly blessed the nation f Wales. Now, we are far away from God and have largely forgotten our spiritual heritage. It is time to return to God and be strengthened through his presence. Let’s seek revival and spiritual restoration.