Fast Devotional #1 – Pursue, Overtake, Recover All

Scripture

1 Samuel 30:1-19

Insight

The King of the Philistines had given David and his men asylum in a city called Ziklag because King Saul of the Israelites wanted to kill him. The Philistines soon after decided to fight Israel but wouldn’t let David and his men go with them because they feared he might turn on them in battle and defeat them to get back in Saul’s good graces. David and his men returned to the city of Ziklag, only to find it burned to the ground and completely looted by the Amalekites. Every wife, child and possession had been taken away.

David had been rejected by his king, rejected by his nation and rejected by his nation’s enemies. But at the site of their burned city and missing families, David faces the most betraying and isolating rejection of all, his loyal and mighty men wanted to stone him.

6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

In David’s darkest moment, when he was completely alone and abandoned, he inquired of the Lord with the question “Shall I pursue?”

David asked “Shall I pursue?” Not “shall we pursue?”

He was prepared to continue on his own, without anyone beside or behind him. He sought the Lord and heard these words “pursue, overtake, recover all”.

That was enough.

God gave David the strength to master his own distress, look past the offence of rejection and lead himself away from insecurity. When he turned to his men in strength, they rallied together and followed him once again.

David’s unwavering commitment to pursue what God had for him no matter what, kept him on the path to promotion. The very battle the Philistines had prevented him from fighting was the battle where King Saul and his son Jonothan died. A short time later, Israel finally crowned David king.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are my place of strength. In distress and anxiety, worry and concern, I come to You. Reveal your Word to me this day so that I can pursue, overtake and recover all for Your name sake. In Jesus Name. Amen.