2 Samuel 17:27-29

“When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi … Makir … and Barzillai … brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery … flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Our Comfort

A welcome surprise, like a sudden breeze that dispels the morning fog, can swiftly dispel anxiety, fear, and fatigue. Imagine the joy of a refreshing cold drink after trekking miles in a dry, sunbaked land. This is the experience of a certain woman on a sunny Harmattan afternoon. Her sandal had torn in the way, leaving her walking barefooted, carrying a basket of freshly harvested cassava and plantains, with her four-year-old son strapped to her back. The forest part of the road was bearable until she reached the tarred road. She had another few miles to get home on the steaming hot road stretch. Her feet were burning on the hot and uneven tarred road, as her breathing became more and more labored under the weight of the basket and the sleeping child. Drenched in a profuse sweat, her only thought was about when she would get home. A car sounded its horn behind her, and she stepped onto the horny sidewalk to let it pass. To her surprise, the black Mercedez Benz sedan stopped just ahead of her. The driver stepped out and offered her a ride to the town. The gentleman opened the backseat door, and she sat down with the basket on her lap. Despite the kind gentleman’s attempt to put her load in the trunk, she declined the offer.

“This is good enough for me,” she said. “You’ve helped me enough.” The relief she had from the sun and the heated road, with her load on her lap, was good enough for her. In a few minutes, she had dozed off, her heart filled with gratitude for the unexpected help she had received.

When you are tired and weary, when things have broken out against you, and you need relief and rest, God, our Great Provider, could surprise you beyond your imagination. David once found himself in such a situation, exhausted from his flight from his insurrectionist son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13-18). With his entourage, they crossed the Jordan and reached Mahanaim. Three men, Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai, met them with provisions to refresh them, saying, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness” (17:27-29). What a relief that was!

That’s the God we serve. He surprised Abraham and Sarah with Isaac when all hope faded – the One who shocked Mary Magdalene and the world on the morning of Resurrection Sunday (John 20:16) and lives forever. He still surprises to refresh and strengthen the faith of His beloved in need.

You, too, might have moments like that, but under different circumstances. Don’t give up. Look up to your Savior to bring you the desired relief and rest. He never fails to surprise His children. His sovereign hand is working behind the scenes to refresh you at your lowest point. Even if it takes birds to feed you, God will do it (1 Kings 19:3-8) – that you will see the beauty of His provision, and marvel at His grace.

Shalom