“Then Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God.” 1 Samuel 23:16

Strengthened in God

Walk His Way Revisited
First Posted in May, 2014

David was running for his life, hiding out in strongholds in the wilderness, living in the mountains. We can only imagine what this kind of life was like: dirty, cold, hard, with no comforts of home. Did his back hurt from sleeping on the ground? Did he have infected wounds? Did he sprain his ankle while climbing over rocks?

Saul was after him and meant to kill him when he found him. David had this on his mind as he moved constantly from place to place, looking over his shoulder lest his enemy come upon him. Surely, discouragement threatened to derail his hope.

David traveled with 600 men, yet managed to elude Saul. Couldn’t Saul see the smoke or fires David’s men used to cook their food? Didn’t 600 men take up a lot of room on the hillsides and make a lot of noise, even if they were just making quiet conversation?

Enter David’s best friend, Jonathan, who apparently had no trouble locating David. We aren’t told the words Jonathan uttered to David, but this we know: he “strengthened David’s hand in God.”

Was it merely Jonathan’s presence that gave David courage to go on? I don’t think so. From my own experiences in life, I know that one can be surrounded by friends, yet still feel very alone. But when one of those friends reminds me of God’s promises, fills me up with God’s love and hope, gives me God’s words of comfort, then I am strengthened in the Lord.

When we come alongside someone to encourage or strengthen her, do we unwittingly cause her to place her hope in ourselves as her source of strength? Do we believe deep down inside ourselves that we are the only one who can provide what a person needs? Or do we reach out to a person by saying, “I have nothing to give, but God has everything you need”?

We are exhorted often in Scripture to comfort others, encourage others, provide for others. We are to meet needs and give what we have. We are to show love in every possible way in every situation at all times. But remember that if we have anything to give, it was given to us by God. Give Him credit for it. Give Him glory. “For what do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7b).

Let’s remember that we have no strength to give to others that hasn’t come from God’s hand. When we do encourage or strengthen others, let us do so in the Lord, that they would not rely upon us to meet their needs, but be turned fully to Him in all things, for we will fade away, but God endures forever. Our strength will fail, but God’s never will.

Lord, we know that You alone have the words of life. Help us faithfully turn others to You in the time of their own need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.