1 Samuel 30:18-19
18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
We have looked at the path that brought David to a place of nearly total loss. His heart presented a path to him back in chapter 27 and that path has ended here 2 chapters later with his family stolen, his house burned, his new friends rejected him, and his old friends ready to stone him. The only thing left is the clothes on his back. But amazingly we have these words, "David recovered all." From total loss to total recovery, actually, the following verses tell us that he spoils the Amalekites and comes away from this battle with more than he started with.
We know how he lost it all, how did he recover it all? In this chapter, there are a few phrases that show the pathway to recovering what you've lost to the enemy.
Vs.6 "David was greatly distressed"
It would be good for us if we were more distressed about where we stand with the Lord. This is the first time in nearly a year and a half that we read of David being distressed, He wasn't distressed when he left Israel, He wasn't distressed when he joined Achish, He wasn't distressed when he took up residency in Gath or when he went out to fight against Israel only now is he distressed. O that we would be distressed over our sins before we are distressed by our sins! David's heart had been numbed with every step away from the will of God and so God sent a shockwave to shock his cold heart back to beating for God again. Most of us have been to this point before, and God uses some shock like a defibrillator to get our heart back on the right rhythm. We know this was effective by what David does next.
"David encouraged himself in the Lord"
Mark the words "in the Lord." Nothing encouraging is happening. Not a friend to turn to, not a possession to cling to, and yet he has a source of encouragement in the most discouraging situation a man can be in. He was in a horrible situation but he was also in the Lord and could therefore encourage himself in the Lord. His strength was withered, his faithfulness had failed, and his plans had fallen apart but the Lord's strength has never failed, His faithfulness has never wavered and his plan for David had never changed, He was still God's king and had God for his shield and buckler. So it is with us Christian, when the family is gone when friends have left , when your strength has failed and your faithfulness has wavered, his never has nor will. In the most discouraging moment, we can still find encouragement "IN THE LORD."
Vs.8
"David Enquired of the Lord"
Here we find the first recorded prayer since he left Israel. He wasn't inclined to pray at Gath, or at the battle with the Philistines but now amidst the ruins of his falling away, he is inclined to pray. Why are we thus? Why do we wait until everything has fallen apart before we "enquire of the Lord?" O that we would enquire before we depart from his plan instead of after! Nevertheless David prays, and immediately the Lord responds! No hesitation, not even a rebuke or a scold, but an assurance that he will recover all that he has lost! O the depth of the mercy of Our Lord! How many times have we made an absolute mess and as soon as we turned to him he heard and answered and mended all our mistakes and assured our hearts of his forgiveness, mercy, and love to us? May we more often Enquire of the Lord and we would more often receive of the Lord.
Vs.9-10
"So David went" "So David pursued"
There was nothing more to do but to strap on his sword and get back to fighting the Lord's Battles. He did not hesitate or lay out another fleece he went. Not only did he go but he kept on going, "He went" and "he pursued." There was a determination in his heart to recover what he had lost to the enemy. If we plan on covering any ground in our recovery then we will have to operate by faith. Faith goes and it keeps on going, it starts the long hard journey toward the will of God and keeps on the Journey, there is no mountain too high, valley too low, army too strong, or distance too long to quill it. So like David went and David pursued may we also Go and keep on going, pursuing the sins that rob us of our joy, pursuing a closer walk with him until we have recovered all and receive a spoil.
Vs. 18-19
"David recovered all"
Note the word all, he did not lose one thing or person to the enemy. He recovered all! What a recovery, what a God, what an encouragement! If you have lost some ground to the enemy, take heart, recovery is possible. If David can recover, if Job can recover, if Mark can be "Profitable to the ministry," then we can and should take these steps on the road to a full recovery. May the Lord send a shockwave to your heart if you are beyond feeling or caring, if that is what it takes he will, and in the end, you will thank God for it. Take heart Christian you can recover all.
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