David Exercises Restraint Knowing That He Will Be King in God's Time

Today's Reading
1 Samuel 31 to 2 Samuel 1

I know that God has His own measure of time and of course His own plan.  David respects this.  David knows that he is to be king of Israel upon Saul's death.  Yet he does not kill Saul even though he has ample opportunity, and even in Saul's death he does not rejoice.  Initially, he rebukes and then kills the soldier who struck the final blow resulting in Saul's death.  He then grieves the death of Jonathon and Saul.

¹⁴ David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” (2 Samuel 1:14)

...

²³ Saul and Jonathan—
   in life they were loved and admired,
   and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
   they were stronger than lions.

 ²⁴ “Daughters of Israel,
   weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
   who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. (2 Samuel 1:23-24)

My Prayer: Lord, you have given me greater patience and perspective regarding your timing and your will - you know me more so than I know myself and I thank you for your divine teachings and for your guidance and counsel - you are my rock, my shield, and my light.  Please help me lean on you, trust you, love, follow you, obey you and seek you out - more and more each day.

If You Are In Relationship with God, He Will Respond

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 25-30

I often hear that God can answer prayer in many ways, including who responds and what the response is.  If only we are in relationship with Him.  Saul is clearly not in relationship with God as Saul continues to pursue David.  As the Philistines gather against Saul, he is filled with fear and sins by seeking a medium to understand God's will and plan:

 ⁴ The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. ⁶ He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. ⁷ Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”  (1 Sam 28: 4-7)

Clearly God does not desire us to seek mediums or spiritists as he indicated so through Moses:

¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, ¹¹ or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

Through his sin, Saul separates himself from God and is unable to discern God's will and cannot hear God's words for him.

The spirit of Samuel makes it clear:

Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has departed from you and become your enemy? ¹⁷¹⁸ Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. ¹⁹ The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.” (1 Sam 28:16-19) The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David.

How many times do I go to God and assume that because I don't hear a response that there is no response.  For me the point is clear, if we are close to God he will always respond and we just need to listen for the response and be aware of how it may be delivered - which is often very mysterious unless we are attentive.

In contrast to Saul, David is in relationship with God and he is able to discern - as clear as day.  As the Amalekites talked of stoning David:

But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6)

In drawing near to the Lord, David is able to hear God's response:

...and David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

   

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”(1 Samuel 30:8)

I need to draw near to God so I can understand His will for me - in all things.

My Prayer: Lord, I am amazed at how you have used me for your glory and also blessed me.  I know it is through You that these things happen - you are awesome and you are great!  Thank you for your wisdom.  Forgive me for my neglect of you and for my desire of things in the world.  Purify me of these things.  Help me draw near to you. love you, trust you, follow you and be bold in all of this.

Love and Humility Not Rage, Jealousy, and Revenge

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 23-24

Here I see David spare Saul's life, even though God delivers Saul into David's hands.  After cutting off a corner of Saul's robe, David feels great remorse and seeks forgiveness from God .

⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” (1 Samuel 24:5-6)

 I see this as a sign of humility for even though David knows he has been anointed by God to be King of Israel, he willingly submits to Saul.  At the same time, this is love for Saul is to kill him and this is is as clear an example as their will ever be in scripture to love everyone, including your enemies.

What comes to mind here is how quickly the mind can become poisoned by anger, and anger produces results that are God-driven.  I read this in James chapter 1:

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

This is something very top of mind for me because I have my plan for my life, including my plan for my children and my family and when I don't see it go my way, I am sometimes enraged and this rage produces bad outcomes in my family and I can see the results.

My Prayer: Lord, you have blessed me with a beautiful loving family - thank you for this rich blessing indeed!  Forgive me for my neglect of you and help me draw closer to you.  Please help me be quick to listen, and slow to talk and of course very slow (or avoid!) to anger.

 

 

Our Sin Can Be Destructive In Many Ways

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 20-22

Clearly, Saul's sin of jealousy and rage is destructive as he strikes down even men of God and their entire families:

 ¹⁸ The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹ He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep. 

Yet even words themselves can be equally as destructive.  I know for myself as I am harsh with my own son Zach and even with my own wife Lisa.  Although I have heard God's words here - I have not yet fully taken them to heart.

⁴ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4).

 My Prayer: Lord, you have shown me mercy with my sin and you continue to do so - thank you God for your love, compassion, forgiveness and mercy.  Your love abounds!  Help me Lord avoid sin with my children - help me not exasperate my children and family with my sharp rebukes.  Help me Lord.  Help me point them to you and help me show them your love through me.

What Does It Take To Get That God is Talking to You

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chp 19

The Lord was clearly with David as is described in this chapter.  Saul repeatedly tries to kill David as his jealousy grew strong over David.  Jonathan, David's wife Michal, and Samuel all protected David.

As well, God came upon both Saul's men and even Saul himself:

"the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men" (verse 20)

...

^"So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him..." (verse 23)

God is clearly intervening on David's behalf and speaking directly to Saul, yet Saul's jealousy and anger are so strong that he cannot hear God talking directly to him in terms that are both loud and clear.

Satan's work is powerful.

My Prayer: Lord, you have protected me often from harm and you continue to keep me from harm.  You are my rock and thank you for your protection.  Forgive me for my sinful nature and forgive me when I neglect you and allow sin to separate myself from you.  Please help me draw closer to you and protect me from sin and from Satan's powerful hand.

What Is God's Idea of Intimacy Between Two Men

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chp 18

Many who know me know that I am a strong advocate for men to growth in their faith alongside other men.  This is clearly what God intends.  Here in 1 Samuel, there is greater clarity and definition of this intimacy.

Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.

This one speaks for itself.  Yet there is more...

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

This last one above is less instinctive.  Above and beyond any natural connections or areas of life where there is common ground that we share with another man, there needs to be an explicit "unnatural" step of a covenant that cements any bond.

For me, I see:

(1) Oneness
I am in someone else's life and someone else is in my life - to the point where one life is indistinguishable from another.  The common denominator is faith and love of God.

(2) Love
This love builds on the common bond of faith and love of God and extends into natural connections where earthly life is shared.

(3) Covenant
This is a commitment that pushes us to support each other through thick and thin, much like a marriage.  When it does not feel natural, we do it anyway - the it being love someone as you love yourself and to support each other even when you don't feel like it.

My Prayer: Lord, you have placed men in my life that have proven to be brothers, in Christ and otherwise.  I am in awe of how you designed this and your plan for me played itself out in terms of their blessing for my life.  Thank you for these men.  Forgive me if I put too much faith in my own plan and if I am not the brother you want me to be.  Help me create brothers for other men, for me to be a brother and help me submit to your will for me to have brothers in my life.

God is to Shine Through Us - For HIS Glory

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chp 17

God calls us out to be separate, to be bold and to be a light onto others.  Yet this means different things depending on the occasion.

Notice here how David talks and acts tough as he has been called by God to take on Goliath.

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 

 Earlier in 1 Samuel 16 - he is a humble servant. 

¹⁸ One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.”

  

¹⁹ Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” ²⁰ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

 ²¹ David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. ²² Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

 ²³ Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

Whatever the role we play in life, the response from others should be consistent as it is with Saul.

After David slays Goliath in chapter 17, Saul's response is consistent:

 ⁵⁵ As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” 

What is interesting here is that Saul forgets David's name - David loses his identity, yet God shines through him anyway and all that he does is for God's glory not his own.

My Prayer: Lord I have seen your work in my own life and it is amazing.  Praise that I can be part of your plan.  Forgive me when I take glory for my own work or when I seek my own plan.  Please help me lose myself, focus on you, and let you shine through me for your glory.