A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers 

1 Samuel 30:6, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”  In his book, The Quest for Character, Chuck Swindoll tells about watching a PBS program on the Library of Congress.  During the program, the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Daniel Boorstin, brought out a little blue box from a small closet that held the library’s rarities.  The label on the box read, “Contents of the president’s pockets on the night of April 14, 1865.”  Since that was the fateful night Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, every viewer’s attention was seized.  Boorstin then proceeded to remove the items in the small container and display them on camera.  There were five things in the box:  A handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln;” a country boy’s pen knife; a spectacles case repaired with string; a purse containing a $5 bill of Confederate money; and some oldand worn newspaper clippings.  “The clippings,” said Boorstin, “were concerned with the great deeds of Abraham Lincoln.”  One of them actually reports a speech by John Bright which says that Lincoln is “one of the greatest men of all times.”  Today that’s common knowledge. The world now knows that British statesman John Bright was right in his assessment of Lincoln, but in 1865 millions shared quite a contrary opinion. The President’s critics were fierce and many.  His was a lonely agony that reflected the suffering and turmoil of the country ripped to shreds by a costly war.  Yet, this great president felt the need to carry with him newspaper clippings by which he might encourage himself.  In our Scripture lesson today, David, at Ziklag, faced with a rebellion among his own men, had to encourage “himself in the Lord.”  Sometimes when encouragers are few and far between, we have to take matters into our own hands, and remind ourselves of who we are in God.  Never underestimate the power of an encouraging word.  It can lift anyone from the throes of despair, into the renewed hope that can come, with each new day.