The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Samuel 30:6, “Moreover, David was greatly distressed because the people

spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because

of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD

his God.”

The greater the advancement, the greater the trouble. I have to wonder

if David did not often wish he were once again a youth keeping watch over

sheep in the wilderness. Life was simpler then. Not only was Saul against

him, but the Amalekites had raided Ziklag, a city in the Negev (in southern

Israel) and captured his wives and all the cattle. David and all who were

with him wept until they had no more tears. Add to all of that, the people

who were with him, and had wept with him over the devastation of the

circumstances, now turned against him and talked about stoning him to

death. Sometimes the appearance of a thing is worse than the reality. But

when things are really devastating, we often don’t see beyond the trouble.

What, then, are we to do? What did David do? He “strengthened himself

in the LORD his God.” He got a grip on himself and refused to be discouraged!

I will not give up! I am the LORD’s servant; I will depend on Him! It was an

attitude thing. He took his problems to the LORD, and the LORD assured

him that all would be well. In the end, all was well, as David “recovered

all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives (v. 18).

Life is not a bed of roses. Troubles will always surround and threaten us.

But the LORD is our “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”

(Psa. 46:1). Learn to trust and rely on Him.

Our love and prayers surround you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”