Responding to Crisis

Responding to Crisis: Pastor Micky Kua

This Sunday, we were privileged at CDC to have our own Pastor Micky share a very important message on 1 Samuel Chapter 30: Responding to Crisis.

Each one of us will face crises at one point or another in our lives. There are many types of crises, for example: financial, physical, domestic and legal, to name a few. However, our true character is best revealed when we face a crisis!

At the beginning of 1 Samuel Chapter 30, we see how David and his men were faced with a terrible crisis. Upon returning to their base, they discovered that their homes were completely destroyed, their possessions stolen, and their wives and children all kidnapped by enemies. It was a fate far more terrible than death, and David and his powerful warriors could not contain their grief, weeping until they had no more tears left to weep. Once the grief had passed, some of the men began to look for a scapegoat, and when any crisis appears, the first to be blamed is always the leader! David was immediately singled out as the scapegoat, just as the manager is always singled out as the scapegoat whenever any football team fails to perform! Some of the men, in their anger had started talk of stoning David to death!

However, David did not defend himself. He did not think of blaming others or coming up with excuses. Instead, David turned to God, and found strength in His Savior! He remembered how God had helped him in the past, against lion, bear and giant! He remembered God’s promises and God’s anointing. He felt God’s presence and knew that his purpose had yet to be fulfilled.

Pastor Micky made reference at this point to the remarkable missionary Gladys Aylward, a simple parlor maid in England who was quickly thrown out of missionary school because of her lack of education. Yet she did not give up but saved what little she could until she finally made the 47.50 pounds she required to travel inland to China. Taking with her hardly any clothes or food, she made it finally to China, braving freezing temperatures and dangerous wolves. Step by step, with God at her side, she did great things, especially in her ministry to the poor street children. Her story of leading 100 children in flight from a viciously advancing Japanese army is legendary. In one famous incident at the Yellow River, Gladys almost gave up, for they had no way across. However, one of the children she taught so well exclaimed full of faith “God opened the Red Sea for Moses”! Gladys retorted sharply,”But I’m no Moses!” Just as quickly, the clever child replied “But God is still God!” Humbled, Gladys got the children down on their knees to pray, and almost immediately, friendly soldiers appeared who helped get the children across the river safely.

Likewise, when David was faced with a crisis, he too prayed to God. He called for the priest and ephod and consulted God… and received God’s Word. God gave David assurance to pursue the enemy and promised him success.

David obeyed immediately. He could have looked at the problem, and found it impossible. The desert was a big place, and David had no idea where the enemy could have gone. By the time they actually found the enemy, all their family could well have been killed. However, David did not look at the circumstances, he just trusted God and pursued in the general direction. And behold, God led David to a half-dead Egyptian in a field who just happened to be a servant of one of those Amalekites who had attacked Ziklag. This fortunate Egyptian was then able to lead David and his men to the Amalekite raiders who were oblivious to any danger. After an intense battle, the Amalekites were routed, and everything was recovered. All of their families were safe, and they now possessed all the great plunder of the Amalekites. God had turned a terrible situation into a great blessing for David and his men.

Even after this, some of the selfish men tried to persuade David not to share the plunder with the 200 men who were too tired to continue the pursuit. David, true to his noble character, would have none of it, and gave them all equal share, and also was generous to some of the elders of Judah who had supported him. David realized that it was God who gave them the victory, not their own strength, and they had no right to deprive the other men from the good things God had given them.

In closing, Pastor Micky gave us three powerful challenges and a wonderful verse to abide by:-

(i)                 Focus on God and not your problem

(ii)               Pray for God’s guidance

(iii)             Seek godly advice

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
       and lean not on your own understanding;
 6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
       and he will make your paths straight.

May the Lord help each one of us turn to Him in our times of crisis, and trust Him for our deliverance like David, like Gladys Aylward did, and like thousands of great men and women of God did throughout the ages. In Jesus name, Amen.

God bless,

Jason