Brook Besor

In 1 Samuel 30 we see a beautiful pattern of the Lord's sovereignty in dealing with His children equally and righteously. Despite the negative background,  "David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.  And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I pursue after this band? Will I overtake them? And He said to him, Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly deliver them.  And David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross over the brook Besor" verses 6b, 8, 10.

As Jehovah promised, David won the battle and brought back all the captives with the spoils.

30:21  Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left behind at the brook Besor. And they went forth to meet David and to meet the people who were with him; and David came near to the people and greeted them.30:22  And all the wicked and worthless men among the men that had gone with David responded; and they said, Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have delivered, except every man his wife and his children that they may lead them off and go away.30:23  Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given us, who has kept us and given this band that came against us into our hand.30:24  And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.30:25  And from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

Recently my reading of the old testament portion is on these verses, again and again at least three times. The Lord impressed me so deeply of certain principles in life from the life of David. It reminds me of the service of the Lord we have been carrying it out. At times there are some who really cannot be on the field laboring as the gospel of priest, however, they are just part of us too. They may not actively participate in the gospel work for some reason, but still whether they are directly involved or not, they are still a part of us. Perhaps, they are staying back and interceding for the Lord's move, or even otherwise, they may be weak and tired, still they are a part of us. What the Lord has blessed us is their blessings too. For we all are in one entity, one Body of Christ.

There are many services in the Lord's vineyard. Each one is apportioned according to the grace he receives. Each ones' function is all for the Body. The success or failure of one is the success or failure of all. This principle David set up at brook Besor is a marvelous example.

This has been a reminder to me again and again these days, not to condemn those who may not function as I do, or condemn myself in not functioning as others do. Nor should this be an excuse for laziness and negligence in not laboring as priests yet apply the principle of the brook Besor. But each one must faithfully labour wherever the Lord assigns and be not envious of one another. Success or failure is not the right scale to gauge the result, but the faithfulness in laboring as priest of the gospel of God. In prayer, in preaching, in giving and in going, all receive and share the blessing, equally.