Pastor Joe Miller IV
As much as I hate the beach, (if you want to know why, call me and I’ll explain—it might not be fit for a public forum), I love my wife and family more. So in the early ‘90s, we found ourselves at the Outer Banks in North Carolina enjoying the sun and ocean. Kids are swimming and my wife and I are lying on the beach, me in my beach attire (don’t ask) just taking it all in. About an hour into our beach bliss, amongst all the excitement and noise of people enjoying themselves, I heard something a dad never wants to hear—unfortunately in life it happens all too often—the cry for help from one of your children and in my case two of my children. As most people know the Outer Banks are known for their riptides and when some redneck weekend warriors from Western Pennsylvania show up, it is a recipe for disaster. But in all the chaos and noise, a loving dad will hear the crying voice of his distressed children and will respond.
In his later years, King David finds himself in a situation that is overwhelming, and it reminds us that we are never exempt from life’s hardships. In 2 Samuel 21:15, it seems like the three sons of Goliath and his brother are looking for some revenge, and by the description of these men (v. 16-20) they were just as fierce and threatening as their father and brother.
2 Samuel 21:15 says “Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.”
[If anyone is bored and finds a problem with the accuracy of this genealogy, visit 1 Timothy 1:4.]
In verse 15, the phrase ‘waxed faint’ was used to describe David’s physical and emotional condition being weak, discouraged, and fearful not being able to see past his situation.
2 Samuel 22:5 says “When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;”
How many times do we find ourselves where we can’t see past the situation: no hope, much fear, whether caught up in an unexpected riptide with the waves billowing over your head as you’re trying to just catch a breath or a group of giants trying to kill you. Let me say this: the giants are real and they are everywhere, appearing in different forms for each of us with no exceptions. David wisely responds to his situation by going to God who can cause the earth itself to tremble.
2 Samuel 22:7-8 says “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.”
In verse 7, we see David in his distress cry out emotionally, spiritually, verbally to “His” God. “Our” God. Verse 2 David identifies the Lord as his rock, his strength, his fortress, his protector, his deliverer, and his way of escape. David’s words in Verse 17 and 18 give testimony of God’s faithfulness to His children. When we humble ourselves like David did in verse 18 and realize ‘I cannot do this myself’ and cry out to our Creator God, we will find ourselves, even in distress, singing 2 Samuel 22: 47-50.
2 Samuel 22: 47-50 says “ The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.”