When the way grows weary and long

The story is told in the 30th chapter of First Samuel how the Amalekites, Israel’s enemies, raided the town of Ziklag when all their fighting men were gone, and carried off the women and children, including the wives of David. The text says that “David strengthened himself in the Lord,” and then commanded: “Pack food; put water in skins; gather extra weapons! We march after the Amalekites!” So David set out with 600 soldiers; but when they came to a place called Brook Besor, 200 of 600 were “too weary and exhausted to cross the Brook Besor.”

In church we have sung hymns about exhaustion, about weariness: “Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus...”

“Does Jesus care when my heart is pained...and the way grows weary and long?”

“Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face, here would I touch and handle things unseen; here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace and all my weariness upon thee lean.”

A.S.M. Hutchinson once wrote “The aching thing in life is not having where you can take your weariness. Let who may receive a man’s triumphs; to whom a soul can take its defeats, that one has the imprint of Godhood. They walk near God.”

The 400 marched on as 200 remained at Brook Besor. In the end, David recovered al l that the Amalekites had taken. All the children and women, including David’s two wives, were safe. “This is David’s spoil!” the people exclaimed.

The returning soldiers insisted, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered. They may take their wives and children, and go their way.”

But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. The share of the one who goes down into the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”

It is with these words and in this spirit that David proves his royalty, and it is here that his kingship is foreshadowed. Not the “take, take” kingship foretold by the prophet Samuel; but the “give, give” kingship of a messiah—a messiah who, 1000 years later, would tell a parable of an employer, so generous, that he would give the same to all, regardless of any consideration whatsoever: the same wage, the same spoil, the same grace.

Max Lucado shares what it felt like for him, in times of his life, to be left out. He wanted to play tailback in Jr. High, but the coach kept saying, “Lucado, get your tail back on that bench.”. His family had moved to a new town, and he had tried out for the baseball team. The coach was supposed to call him to tell him the results.

He waited all night for the call. Finally, he felt he was going to be left out. He was going to miss the fun, the new friends, the belonging, the fulfillment, the joy.

At 10 p.m., the coach knocked on the door. “I lost your number” (or something like that). I want you on the team.” Later, because of something Max overheard, he discovered his father had played no small part in the coach’s coming, and in his being included.

And the gospel is that YOU are included: in the fun, the friends and belonging, in the fulfillment and everlasting joy of God’s kingdom. Not because you fought; and not because you were wearied at Brook Besor, but because of a Father, a gracious King, to whom belongs the spoil, and the grace.