Strength for the Wilderness!
From my personal devotional this morning (as circumstances unraveled in the midst):
The Israelites had been traveling through the desert wilderness to the land of promise. The way was hot, sandy and rough. There was little water. But God had promised that He would guide them and provide for them. However, like many of us, they became discouraged. If only they had trusted God's promise that he who had led would continue to lead, if only they had believed that he who had supplied would continue to supply, instead of being discouraged they would have been encouraged. Discouragement turns to encouragement when we look away from our cirucmstances and focus our eyes on the Lord.
In 1 Samuel 30 we read about David in the midst of trouble. The Amalekites had burned Ziklag, his private property and redisdence. But his distress drove him to the Lord. "But David found strength in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Someone has said, "To look around is to be distressed; to look within is to be depressed; to look up is to be blessed."
Today our way may be through the wilderness. It may be easy to become discouraged. Discouragement is a tool of Satan. The story is told that Satan was "going out of business." All of his tools were offered for sale. They were attractively displayed on a table. What an array - hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit! One harmless looking one, much worn, was priced higher than any of the others. "What is that tool?" someone asked. "Discouragement," was the reply. "Why is it so expensive?" Satan answered, "Because it is more useful to me than any of the others."
Will our ditress drive us to despair and discouragement or to God? May we, like David, find strength in the Lord!
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