Encouraged in God

Hi friends, thanks for joining us for today's word of encouragement from Our Daily Bread. The devotional for today entitled Encouraged in God was written by James Banks. In 1925, Langston Hughes, an aspiring writer working as a busboy at a hotel, discovered that a poet he admired, Rachel Lindsay, was staying there as a guest. Hughes shyly slipped Lindsay some of his own poetry, which Lindsay later praised enthusiastically at a public reading.

Lindsay's encouragement resulted in Hughes receiving a university scholarship, furthering him on his way to his own successful writing career. A little encouragement can go a long way, especially when God is in it. Scripture tells us of an incident when David was on the run from King Saul who was trying to take his life. In 1 Samuel 23, Saul's son Jonathan sought David out and helped him find strength in God.

Don't be afraid, he said. My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel. Jonathan was right.

David would be king. The key to the effective encouragement Jonathan offered is found in the simple phrase, In God. Through Jesus, God gives us eternal encouragement and good hope. As we humble ourselves before him, he lifts us as no other can. All around us are people who need the encouragement God gives. If we seek them out as Jonathan sought David and gently point them to God through a kind word or action, he'll do the rest.

Regardless of what this life may hold, a bright future in eternity awaits those who trust in him. Now let's turn our attention to the Old Testament writing of 1 Samuel 23 verses 15 through 24. While David was at Horesh in the desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.

Don't be afraid, he said. My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this. The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, south of Jeshaman? Now your majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.

Saul replied, The Lord bless you for your concern for me. Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.

Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you. If he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah. So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Now David and his men were in the desert of Mahon, in the Arabah, south of Jeshaman. Now join me in a moment of prayer. Loving God, thank you for the encouragement that you give us through others that helps us reach our greatest potential. Please give us opportunities to encourage others when we see their potential and to rely wholly on you for their strength. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Thanks so much for joining us today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.