Turning Back

Turning Back
Words of Faith 12-23-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Samuel 30:1-6
[1] David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, [2] and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. [3] When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. [4] So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. [5] David's two wives had been captured--Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. [6] David 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.

This was a devastating blow! David and the 600 men had gone off to join the Philistines as mercenaries. We don't know what David's intention was. He may have been trying to set up an ambush from behind that would hand Saul the victory. But David and his men were turned down by the leaders of the Philistine army. When they returned from the north they discovered that their camp at Ziklag had been attacked and pillaged by the Amalekites. Their families had been kidnapped and the camp was burned!
David was deeply distressed. What is more, the men were talking about stoning him, apparently because he had led them away and left the camp unprotected. Now, David was facing a critical transition. He had been in a dry season spiritually. There is no indication that David had consulted the Lord regarding the trip to join the Philistine force. Now he was experiencing a terrible consequence. His men were ready to stone David, the greatest hero of Israel.
When Saul faced a devastating situation during a dry season, he put on a disguise and sought out the services of a medium. David? He turned to the Lord. David found strength in the Lord, his God. The difference is critical.
The deep truth is that even in the most devastating circumstances, we can turn back to the Lord and find our strength in Him. In the worst of situations, when we think that everything is lost, we can turn to the Lord God for comfort, guidance, and strength. We may go through a dry season, but the Lord is only a prayer away.
Are you going through a difficult time? A tough season? A hard series of events? This is the time to turn toward God, not away from Him. This is the time to draw near to Him, and know He will draw near you.

Father God, may I always draw my strength from You. You are my Lord and my God. Restore to me what has been taken. Renew in me the joy of my salvation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2024 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.