Yesterday I was cleaning out files. When we moved two years ago we didn't have a lot of time to get things packed and all of my work and home files were just thrown in boxes and loaded. One of my goals while not working is to go back through and get rid of more 'stuff.' All of that to say I ran across some notes from 2006 that were helpful to me at the time. Maybe the message of those notes will encourage you as well.
Dr. Randy Hatchett was the interim pastor at Immanuel for awhile. He is also a professor at Houston Baptist University. His sermons are the kind that make you think well into the week (and future) about truths revealed. One of them was based on 1 Samuel 30.
Basically David and his men are hired mercenaries to the Philistines, but the Philistines are preparing for battle against the Hebrews. The higher ups tell David and his men they cannot participate. So, David and his men pack up their gear and head down to Ziklag.
When David and his men arrive at Ziklag they find it plundered and burned by the Amalekites. All of the women and children have been taken captive. The men are very upset and decide that stoning David might be a great idea. David calls for the ephod and inquires of God whether or not he and his men should pursue the Amalekites. God tells David that he will be successful in his quest.
The men get to the Brook of Besor and some of them are too worn out and exhausted to continue. Two hundred of them stay behind while the other four hundred continue on. They happen to stumble upon an Egyptian slave who has been left for dead.
David stops to render aid, very uncommon in those days, but the slave has information David needs in order to rescue the women and children. Of course, David doesn't know this at the time. He just happened to see another person in need and stops--an 'interruption' if you will.
Information provided by the slave leads David and his men to the camp of the Amalekites. True to God's word, they are successful in rescuing the women and children. God also gives them the plunder of the Amalekites. (By the way, the Amalekites are dreadful--you should read about them some time!)
The point is that God uses us to extend his circle of mercy to others, and in doing so he gives us information as to what our next move may or may not be. David not only helps the slave, but later insists that ALL of his men share in the spoils of the plunder, not just those that went on.
We all come to the Brook of Besor--you know, that place in time where we absolutely cannot continue. Sometimes we need others to fight the battle for us--and then share the plunder--grace and mercy. Sometimes we are the ones who continue on and do battle. Then we are responsible for sharing the plunder--grace and mercy--with those around us who can't go on. Sometimes we are the slave who has the information needed to continue the battle.
God uses each of us in different ways at different times. But we get so focused on the question of 'what is God's will' and being annoyed by the 'interruptions' getting in our way to reach 'God's will' that we forget to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8) We forget that the 'interruptions' ARE the calling. We make it hard. God makes it simple. "Follow me," he says. And if we follow him, his will is to invite others to "come and see."
I don't know which role you are playing today. My prayer for each of you is that you have friends who will stand up and do battle for you when you can't go on--or that you will have the strength and wisdom to do battle for others in your midst who can't go on. May you share your plunder--wisdom, strength, grace, mercy--unselfishly. If you're the slave, speak truth. You may have a piece of wisdom or advice that someone else desperately needs to hear. Follow me. Come and see. Come and see that God is good.
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