David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Valley, where some stayed behind. Two hundred of them were too exhausted to cross the valley, but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit. – 1 Samuel 30:9-10

Today's Scripture Reading (May 1, 2022):  1 Samuel 30

I have always enjoyed set and video design, although I have always had to accomplish my plans on a severe budget. I have invented new uses for many everyday products because I had a set to build. I can't count the number of times a salesperson at the local hardware store has approached me, wondering if they can help me find something, only to hear me say, "Not really, I am just hoping that I recognize what I need when I see it."

Once, the church sound tech caught me in my office with a "Yoda Bobblehead," a laptop computer with a picture of the planet Dagobah, and a camera filming a promo for an upcoming message series. When he finally stopped laughing, I found out that he did a respectable "backward talking" Yoda. So, he joined me in my filming project, voicing Yoda for the promo. And a great time was had by all.

David has set out chasing after the Amalekites who had taken everything from his camp, including women, children, and animals. He is understaffed, trying to take on a larger Amalekite army with a significantly smaller group of men. But David has a promise from God that he will be the victor. And so, he continues his journey. But as David reaches the Besor Valley, it becomes obvious that a third of his men are exhausted, too tired to continue the journey. David is left with a choice. He could stop the chase, let his men recover, and then find another way to get to the Amalekites. But the delay would likely mean that some of the captives could be lost forever. As a result, David feels he has to continue. And so, it was time to get creative.

David's solution was to leave the two hundred exhausted men behind with some of the equipment David's army didn't need. His lighter army, the four hundred troops that could still travel, would likely be able to go further and faster. It was an innovative solution to a serious problem.

And David understood that God's promise meant more than the size of his army. After all, Gideon had defeated the Midianites with three hundred men. David had an extra hundred men over what God had allowed Gideon to take into battle. Gideon won because he understood that God was on his side. David knew that he could win with his four hundred men with God on his side, even when logic indicated that it was a losing proposition. But God had always been there with an innovative solution, and absolutely nothing had changed.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 31