BIAY - Finding strength
1 Samuel 29-31, Proverbs 29:1-14
Welcome to the Bible in a Year for 2025. Intro to this series and resource links available here, plus here’s how I’m approaching this year.
Scriptures for Today:
Reflection:
“But David found strength in the Lord his God” (30:1-6) - David and his men arrive back at camp to a disturbing scene. An Amalekite raiding party has attacked the Philistine town in which they were living. Moreover, these raiders have taken David’s wives as prisoners. Everyone else was upset for the losses they suffered too and were speaking of harming or even killing David. In this dark and stressful time, the narrator states, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.” Simply put and profoundly important.
Appreciation for Saul’s help (31:8-13) - Saul and his sons were killed in battle with the Philistines, which exposed their bodies to disgrace—what a prize the dead bodies of the royal family were! The Philistines mutilated them and hung them up. One group of people—from Jabesh Gilead—came to take them down and dignify them with a proper burial. Who are these people? What’s their connection? In 1 Samuel 11, they were besieged by Ammonites and Saul took up their cause, fighting and defending them. They never forgot his help. I like that while Saul was a failure overall as a king, he did some good and those who benefited never forgot.
Questions:
How do you remember to find strength in the Lord during tough times?
What has someone done for you that made a lasting impact?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, help me to find strength in you when times are hardest. Help me to make an impact on others that isn’t soon forgotten. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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