the spoils of war

The Spoils of War
2 Samuel 3:22 And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them;

If you have looked at the news at all during the last few weeks, it has been like receiving reports from a war zone. Shootings, Mass Murders, 2 people gunned down, 16 people injured, more than 20 people killed. All of my senses are screaming “war”!

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 says there is a time for EVERYTHING under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace. This certainly feels like a time of war.

I can’t begin to imagine the hurt and pain of losing a loved one on a shopping trip to Walmart. Literally, here one moment and gone the next moment. The families are now left to suffer and rebuild from the ashes of death.

In the Bible during the days of the Children of Israel, God would send armies into wars and many times tell them to bring the spoils back. The spoils of war are the profits – the overflow that comes from the winning the war. In those days it was the livestock, or if allowed the slaves, the gold, silver or whatever precious cargo that the enemy had left after they were annihilated. The victor would take the spoils of war.

The spoils are those things we gain after a battle or a war. When I first heard of this concept in a modern day setting, I was like, ummmm no, I don’t have any spoils from the battles that I have fought. But man, was I wrong. I have so much gold and silver and wisdom and knowledge from the battles.
I think of my mother’s death as a battle and I would NEVER think there would be a profit from her death. What would be gained by losing my mom, my champion, my best friend? However, because she passed away, I wanted to honor her legacy by creating San’s Child, Inc., I have had the opportunity to mentor so many young ladies, speak at various conferences and women’s retreats and meet some of the most dynamic women in the world. San’s Child, Inc. has been a spoil of war.

In 2002, I met a man and fell head over hills in love with him. We dated for years and then we broke up. He ended up marrying another lady and for a year or two after the relationship ended, I was devastated. I would have never thought that I would ever have a nice word to say about him or ever see him again. But years later when we met again and actually talked and became friends, he introduced me to my new church home. I found so many women in Christ who have led to greater depths and knowledge in the word of God, who have encouraged me to become an active disciple maker, who have pushed me beyond my comfort zone to go out to evangelize to a lost world. I have met new friends that I love like sisters and it was because of a terrible breakup that left me broken. I would have never thought that I would say that a bad relationship led me a greater relationship with the lover of my soul, but yet another spoil of war. 

What are your spoils of war? Every battle, heartache, disappointment has led to a greater blessing. How do I know? Because the Bible promises that ALL things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). I pray that the victims of these heinous attacks knew the Lord and are resting in peace and I pray that the families that have lost their loved one know the Prince of Peace. It doesn’t look or feel like it now, but God uses everything for his glory. What the devil meant for bad, God works for our good.

Continue to pray for the families of the victims of the shootings in El Paso, TX, Dayton, OH, and Southaven, MS, and those who have lost their loved ones to senseless murders, cancer and other diseases. May they find comfort and peace in the midst of their mourning and they see the spoils of their war. Take a moment this week to discover your spoils of war. They are there! I promise. Don’t forget to live in the Red ~ Loved, Forgiven.
#Loved
​#Forgiven
#LivingInTheRed

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