Where Shall I Go?

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

WHERE SHALL I GO?

2 Sam 2:1-7

2:1 In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. The LORD said, "Go up." David asked, "Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered. 2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead to say to them, "The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

NIV

Here is the central theme of everyone who puts their trust in Almighty God. Ask what we are to do. Then ask where we are to do that which you have directed us to do. “Should we go there?” “Should I go to the towns of  Ohio?” And the Lord said, “Go up.” “Where should I go?” and the Lord said, “To Fairborn, I will give you a new home there.” “What should I do there?” and the Lord said, “I will lead you into my service as a shepherd to my people”. “Oh Sovereign, who am I, that you should take me this far?” And the Lord said, “ I AM your sovereign Lord and I will be with you”. David has shown us how to live in the way of faith, believing in God and seeking His direction in everything we do and wherever we go. How can we expect his blessing on our choices or decisions in life? Can we say to God, “I have decided to go there and do this, now bless my choices”? David also gave us the example of blessing other people, as he blessed the men of Jabesh Gilead for showing that kindness to Saul’s body by taking down from the wall, and burying him, showing him respect. He also told them to be strong and brave, which is how he lived his life and shows us that as we keep asking the Lord about everything we are to do and where we are to go, that we must also be strong and brave for the Sovereign Lord will take us to places of his choice, and anoint us to be his servant, as he anointed David king of Israel. Let us never try to make our own way, but always be the one who says, “Should I go up there?” “Where shall I go?”

Lament and Rejoice

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

LAMENT AND REJOICE

2 Sam 1:13-20

13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite," he answered. 14 David asked him, "Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" 15 Then David called one of his men and said, "Go, strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'

17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

19 "Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! 20 "Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. 21 "O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, nor fields that yield offerings [of grain]. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul — no longer rubbed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. 23 "Saul and Jonathan — in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 "O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. 25 "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. 26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. 27 "How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"

NIV

First, was it right for David to have this Amalekite struck down because he followed the orders of Saul and killed him straight out before the chariots of the Philistine were just about upon them, and they would abuse Saul. However, as far as David was concerned, this Amalekite was the one who killed God’s anointed. Again, a culture we do not understand, for we live in a different time and place and under the rule of law. Yet, David then mourned the loss of Saul and wrote a sonnet, a lament that was written in the book of the upright, as this word Jashar, in the Hebrew, means upright, correct, right, and that is also how the Septuagint states it, the book of the upright. It appears that David’s lament was to point to Saul, Jonathan, and the rest who had fallen as upright men of Israel. It is most appropriate to begin anything by first giving praise to the glory of the LORD. Then, to give honor to the slain, those who have died in battle. How the mighty have fallen. We are not the army of Israel who fought against the Philistines, but nevertheless, we fight a battle against the dark forces of this world and the rulers and principalities and the forces of evil in the heavenly, or spiritual realm. Therefore, we should first give all the glory to the Lord when one of us warriors of the Lord has been slain by death. David did not want the slaying of Saul and the army to be proclaimed in the cities of the uncircumcised, lest they rejoice. We have seen evil lift its ugly head, with the striking down of the innocent, because of the hatred evil has for the children of God. Although even the uncircumcised did not applaud, they did not condemn the evil, but the method evil used. However, when we gather around one of our fallen, there is no question that a mighty warrior of the Lord has gone home. Yes, we may lament because we are without them, as David laments over Jonathan, who was a brother to David, who loved him more than the love of a woman. It is right that we can mourn because we are left behind, but we also should rejoice for a warrior of the Lord has been slain by death, and has left their body to journey into the presence of Jesus. Therefore, lament and rejoice. 

The Crown

 DEVOTION

2^nd SAMUEL

THE CROWN

 

2 Samuel 1:1-12

1:1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. 3 "Where have you come from?" David asked him. He answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp." 4 "What happened?" David asked. "Tell me." He said, "The men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead." 5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" 6 "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," the young man said, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, 'What can I do?' 8 "He asked me, 'Who are you?' "'An Amalekite,' I answered. 9 "Then he said to me, 'Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.' 10 "So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord." 11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

NIV

This is a strange account for when Saul fell on his own sword, he did not die instantly, for we are told that an Amalekite had asked Saul what he could do, and Saul told him to stand over him and kill him, for he was in the throes of death but was still alive. This Amalekite took Saul’s crown and arm band, the symbols of a king, and brought them to David. Why would David and his men mourn over Saul’s death? But their mourning was also for Jonathan, a dear covenant friend of David, and the whole of the Israeli army. What do we learn from this narrative that we can apply to our lives? We could see with the Amalekites falling to the ground paying honor to David, that it would be good for us to pay honor to those who are leaders of our land, that is, they stand at the helm. However, it would be better to see that we bow low to the ground to pay honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Son of God, and to the Father and the Spirit. Who am I, Oh Sovereign Lord, that you have taken me this far? We may not bow physically face down on the ground before you, but we bow ourselves, our hearts and minds, paying you honor, glory, giving you all the praise and honor for, first, who you are, second, for all you have done, for us, in us, and what you will and are doing through us. You, oh Lord, are above all things, Sovereign, Lord of heaven and earth, you are at the helm of our lives. The Amalekite brought David the crown and the arm band of a king. We have already been given the crown of righteousness, because we are in Jesus, and the crown of life, because of Jesus, and we will receive the crown of glory when we stand before Jesus on that last day. What a glorious day that will be, when our Jesus we will see, when we look upon his face, the one who saved us by his grace, when he takes us by the hand and leads us through the promised land, what a day, glorious day that will be. Oh Sovereign Lord, we bow before you and crown you, all hail the name of Jesus, we crown him, crown him, crown him Lord of all. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. We bow ourselves before you and are crowning you our Lord.

Disrespect and Respect

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

DISRESPECT AND RESPECT

1 Sam 31

31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day. 7 When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them. 8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

NIV

We have come to the end of Saul and his three sons, ending his reign over Israel with no opportunity to have one of his sons ascend to the throne. However, this was the plan of God, for he had already torn the kingdom from Saul and given it to David. God was still gracious to Saul, allowing him to die in battle rather than an old, weak, and feeble man forfeiting any dignity, having a servant care for his basic needs. In those days, death as a warrior was honorable. This is our hope as we desire to breathe our last as a warrior for Jesus, dying in battle. Personally, I would hope to stand firm in the pulpit and leave my body, ascending in the spirit into the presence of my Lord. That is to be caught up in the air to meet my Lord, as we like to call being raptured. But if it is simple to breathe my last, let me stand firm until the end of this life. We would hope this is the desire for all our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Let us continue the battle against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realm. The Philistines may have stripped Saul of his armor, but no one will ever be able to strip us of our armor, for we wear the armor of God. The Philistines disrespected Saul by cutting off his head and hanging his body on a wall. Of course, Saul showed contempt and disrespect for David, as he had pursued him with the intent of killing him. Although David, even when he had the chance to kill Saul, did not, continuing to show respect for Saul as the king. Let us live a life of respecting others with the hope that as we live respected as a warrior for Jesus, fighting the battle against the evil or dark powers of this world, taking our stand against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms, that is the dark spiritual forces and evil schemes of the devil and his evil minions, we will face our last breathe standing firm, taking our stand, and standing our ground. Although the Philistine showed disrespect, the people of Jabesh Gilead, Israelites, took Saul’s and his son’s bodies down and gave them a proper, respectful burial. This is the way it should be, giving respect to those who waged that war for Jesus. 

Sharing

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

SHARING

1 Sam 30:21-31

21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them. 22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go." 23 David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." 25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this. 26 When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies." 27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; 28 to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa 29 and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; 30 to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach 31 and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed.

NIV

Sharing the plunder equally did not sit well with those who fought and gained all the plunder, but David would not have that selfishness among his men. Although the two hundred stayed behind to safeguard the supplies, they were entitled to the same share of the plunder. We wonder because of what the apostle Paul said in his letter to the Thessalonians, that if a man does not work, he should not eat, and why David shared the plunder with the men who did not fight.  Is this a controversy in the scriptures? It cannot be, for God Almighty is the author of all scripture; it is all God breathed. The two hundred may not have fought, but they were still part of the six hundred men who followed David, and staying and guarding the supplies could still be considered a form of work that would qualify them to share equally with the plunder. But then David also gave some away to the elders of Judah and the people in all those towns where David and his six hundred men roamed. Those people in those towns or cities must have aided David and his men, giving them food and supplies, as they came to each place. This lesson is all about sharing, giving, paying back, rather than being selfish. When we consider how much the Lord has given us, how much plunder of this world he has added onto us, it would be wise for us to share a portion back to him. This is the system of the tithe that we learn from the scriptures, such as Abraham giving a tenth to Melchizedek. However, according to what we see David did, should we be sharing our plunder with each other, our fellow warriors in Christ? In some sense, we do that with those who have been called into the mission field. We do give a portion of our plunder to some of them. Are we doing what the Lord would have us do, or are we doing what we think is best? We know David was a man after God’s own heart, that he was upright and generally cared about all his men and shared the plunder equally and made that a statute and an ordinance for Israel from that day to this. We just do not do that in our culture, as we have lived more by the system of “Each man for himself”. Of course, there are exceptions where wealthy people have given to various charities or causes that seem right and just. But the basic principle of our land is, if a man does not work, he does not eat. How have we become this kind of people? Then again, we do not raid other countries and capture plunder, although we have gone to war in other countries, but not to capture plunder. Nevertheless, maybe we should consider the idea of sharing with those who did not fight. Maybe we do in a sense, when we share our time and energy for the benefit of others. Maybe we are sharing equally when we do things together for the benefit of the kingdom of God. Maybe we are sharing together when we gather around the word of God and share our insights with each other. Maybe we are sharing our faith in worship. Maybe we are sharing when we equally encourage everyone, or when we equally share the gospel. Let us share the gospel equally. 

Winning the Battle

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

WINNING THE BATTLE

1 Sam 30:9-20

9 David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind, 10 for two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the ravine. But David and four hundred men continued the pursuit. 11 They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat— 12 part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights. 13 David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" He said, "I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. 14 We raided the Negev of the Kerethites and the territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag." 15 David asked him, "Can you lead me down to this raiding party?" He answered, "Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them." 16 He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17 David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. 18 David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. 20 He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, "This is David's plunder."

NIV

The LORD told David to pursue the Amalekites, and he would have success, and that is exactly what happened. Of course, we are not surprised by this because whenever the LORD speaks about something we are to do, and we do it, we have success. David indeed had to fight the Amalekites from dust to the evening of the next day, which would have been a full day of battle, but he was successful and retrieved all the women and children, including his two wives. We might have to do battle for some time until we overcome whatever we are fighting against. But, we will have success as long as we first ask the Lord what we are supposed to do, just as we learned from David, as he asked the LORD if he should pursue the Amalekites. If we attempt to win in the flesh or gain some ground in the world, we could become successful in the standards of the world. But if we are to do battle against the forces of evil, we had better seek the counsel of the LORD. We know it is the will of God that we battle the war that wages within us. Although He has declared us holy and blameless in His sight, we are not flawless. Although He removed our sin as far as the East is from the West, we are not without sin. Yet, he does want us to overcome those areas in our lives where we miss the mark. True, we may not commit those heinous crimes against mankind, but we still may battle jealousy, envy, pride, gossip, lust of the eyes, or self-degradation, or think too highly of ourselves than we should. Sometimes we just fail in our relationships with others, saying what we shouldn’t or responding in the wrong way. But we know the Lord would want us to pursue holiness and righteousness, which is only found in Jesus. Therefore, we always need to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and if we do, we will succeed in our quest to overcome the enemy within and the enemy of the world we battle. Ultimately, we will win the battle and have complete success as we step into the presence of our Lord. 

Strength and Insight

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

STRENGTH AND INSIGHT

1 Sam 30:1-8

30:1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. 3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David's two wives had been captured — Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God. 7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him, 8 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."

NIV

This was a sad time for all six hundred men who followed David, for their home city was burned and plundered by the Amalekites. Their wives and children had been taken, and that could have been the hand of God, for in many raids, every living thing was killed. David and all his men wept bitterly and loudly for the loss of their loved ones until they had no strength left to weep. We cannot imagine that the men were so angry with David that they were talking about stoning him. But David found the strength in the LORD his God. This is one of our lessons, but there is another lesson as well. The second lesson is when David inquired of the LORD. Within this first lesson, we find that we can always find strength in the LORD. When Moses sang his song, he said, “The LORD is my Strength.” In one of David’s Psalms, he sang, “The LORD is my strength and my shield”. Habakuk said, “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go in the heights.” And then we have those famous words of Paul, “ I can do all things through Him, who gives me strength”. We think we are getting the point that although we have no strength, even for the smallest things in life, we can turn to Jesus, and He will give us the strength to run like deer, to soar like eagles’ wings, to reach heights we never imagined we could. The second lesson is all about inquiring of the Lord. David needed to know what he was to do, and rather than making his own decision, he wanted to know what the Lord thought about the situation and whether he should pursue the Amalekites. Of course, the LORD answered him. We know that if we inquire of the Lord as to what we should do, he will answer. The question is always before us: do we make our own choices in life based on our desires, or our thinking that it is the best choice for our lives, or do we inquire of the Lord about any and all choices or decisions that we are faced with? “Oh, Lord, what am I to do?” “Lord, should I do this?” These types of inquiries should be our way of life, but is it? Let us find the strength in the LORD, and the direction for our everyday situations, and choices, for the Lord will give us strength and insight.

 

Faults

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

FAULTS

1 Samuel 29:1-11

29:1 The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 2 As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. 3 The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish replied, "Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him." 4 But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor than by taking the heads of our own men? 5 Isn't this the David they sang about in their dances: "'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?" 6 So Achish called David and said to him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don't approve of you. 7 Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers." 8 "But what have I done?" asked David. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" 9 Achish answered, "I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.' 10 Now get up early, along with your master's servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light." 11 So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

NIV

The key to this entire chapter lies in the exchange between David and Achish. It is interesting to know the locations of Aphek and Jezreel, and they are not very close in proximity, with Jezreel being located near the Jordon and Aphek in a northern direction, and closer to the Mediterranean Sea. Marching towards battle would take hours, so this would be why there was plenty of time for the discussion between the Philistine rulers and Achish and then between Achish and David. But the key is that Achish found no fault in David; in fact, he tells David that he was as pleasing as an angel in his eyes. It appears David has changed his mind about Saul and now would take the opportunity to fight against him, but we can also see the hand of God at work in David through the Philistine rulers. The LORD does not want David involved in the destruction or death of Saul, for the LORD has planned how Saul would die, and by sending  David back, he would not fight against the people he would soon rule over as their king. This also shows us the loyalty of David, in some sense; however, we wonder if this was not David’s plan to cozy up to the Philistines so they would take Saul’s life, and he could ascend to the throne. Yet, David had many opportunities to kill Saul, and he did not. But we think our lesson is about the fact that Achish did not find any fault in David. First, we believe it would be best if we took on the attitude of Achish. Surely, David is not a perfect man, but Achish, even if he was looking, did not find any fault in David. This would give us the clue that we should not even be looking for one fault in another. If we love them, then according to God’s definition that he gave Paul to write in the letter to the Corinthians, we will not even look for one fault in another. If we are living with love in our hearts, perhaps we should see others as pleasing in our eyes as an angel of God.  Secondly, David asked, what had he done, what had Achish found that was against him? This could also be a clue as to how we should live. We should be aware so as to not offend someone, or live with a heart of love so that others would not find any fault in us. The problem is that we are flawed humans, and we make mistakes, as unfortunate as that is. Sometimes we operate from our emotions rather than from our faith or our obedience to the Lord. We would think the Spirit would speak up and influence our actions, reactions, words, and responses. But do we get in the way, that “self “ popping up, wanting its own way? It is a war that wages within, we do want, we do not want to do, and we don’t do want what we want to do. Oh Lord, help us be who you meant us to be, for we know you find no fault in us, because you removed it as far as the East is from the West. Let us see any faults in us and none in others. 

The Urging

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

THE URGING

1 Samuel  28:15-25

15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do." 16 Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? 17 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. 18 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 hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines." 20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night. 21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way." 23 He refused and said, "I will not eat." But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.

NIV

Once again, we are faced with Saul asking Samuel what he should do. Why didn’t Saul ask Samuel while he was alive for counsel? Saul had the kingdom ripped from his hands and given to David for the expressed reason that Saul did not do everything the LORD commanded him, and the LORD knew that David would do everything he was told to do. That is why the LORD testified that David was a man after His own heart. Here we see that Saul lies prostrate face down to the ground as if he is worshipping Samuel, but filled with fear because of a dead man’s words. Saul was facing the fact that he would die the very next day. Not too many people get the opportunity to know the day of their death, and we can see how that news Samuel told him impacted him, for he refused to eat. But Saul knew this devastating news that this was his last day, and in the morrow, he would join Samuel among the dead. But he did eat at the urging of both the medium and his men. What do we learn from this portion of the narrative? Perhaps it is about listening to others when they urge us to do something or go somewhere. Perhaps it is about being the one to urge another to become closer to the Lord, or urge them to grow, or encourage their faith. Perhaps that is what it is always about, encouraging, urging each other to grow, to build each other up, and encourage each other in our walk with the Lord. Saul listened to them, and that, too, might be our lesson, to listen more to the encouragement or urging of others. But more importantly, to listen to the urging of the Spirit within. This is one of the reasons Jesus sent us the Spirit, so that He would urge us to do that which we are meant to do. The Spirit is also within us as a guarantee of what is to come, that is, our resurrection and ascension into heaven. However, as we are still living in this body, we need to listen to the urging of the Spirit and do that which we are encouraged to do, following the light onto our path. It is far better to listen than to speak. Let us always listen to the Spirit who urges us to be who we were meant to be. 

Raise Up Who

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

RAISE UP WHO

1 Sam 28:7-19

"There is one in Endor," they said. 8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name." 9 But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?" 10 Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this." 11 Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "Bring up Samuel," he said. 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!" 13 The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground." 14 "What does he look like?" he asked. "An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 15 Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" "I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do." 16 Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? 17 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. 18 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 hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."

NIV

It is strange, or maybe not that strange, that Saul had turned to black magic because the LORD would not answer him. It had to be the work of evil to be able to call up someone from the grave. Of course, the power of Almighty God raised people from the dead through both the prophets Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus raised Lazarus. The greatest resurrection, however, was when God raised Jesus from the dead. But this bringing up of Samuel from the grave is not the work of the LORD, but of the black arts of evil. Just the fact that Saul attempted to disguise himself to deceive this woman, but that did not work, and yet, she worked through the power of evil to bring Samuel up from the dead. We don’t understand why the LORD did not stop this but allowed Samuel to come up to talk to Saul. Perhaps no force of evil can raise up someone from the dead, but this was the act of God so that Samuel would tell Saul once and forever, the LORD had torn the kingdom from him and given it to David. But the hardest truth Saul had to face was that he was going to lose, and he would be handed over to the Philistines, and that he would join Samuel among the dead. It is a fact that we will explore in a few chapters, but the point is that there is no other than Almighty God that we should turn to. Of course, we cannot bring anyone up from the dead, but there is someone dead and was reborn, and that person is us. We have put to death the old self and become born again; the old creation is gone, and we have become a new creation through the power of God.  Yet do we raise up that old, dead self and ask it what we should do? We do not need a medium to bring that dead self up, for we can do that ourselves, but should we? Do we find comfort in that old self? How can we, as it was not a good self, holding on to hurt feelings, it was selfish and sought not after serving God, but served self. We need to let the dead bury the dead, and leave that dead self in the grave and move forward under the power of the Almighty, knowing His work within us and the guarantor, the Holy Spirit, of what is to come. We know that one day we will be raised up imperishable, incorruptible, and immortal to live forever in the presence of our Lord. A day is coming when we will meet our Lord in the air and be with him forever. But it is only this new creation that we are, which will be with the Lord, so let that self that died, remain in the grave, and let us consult only the Lord for what we are to do.

 

Seek Who

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

SEEK WHO

1 Sam 28:1-7

28:1 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army." 2 David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. 4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites 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."

NIV

Although the main story is about the transfer of power from Saul to David by the hand of God, there are moments in time when truths speak to our hearts. It would seem strange that David would make a covenant with the Philistine Achish and fight against the forces of Saul and the forces of his own people of Israel. However, our truth is about the unfaithfulness of Saul. First, he expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land. Then, because of the vastness of the Philistine army, Saul became afraid, even filled with terror. Did he not still show himself to be a king, and did he not have an army of fighting men? Nevertheless, now he turned to the LORD, but the LORD did not give him an answer. The LORD had already torn the kingdom from Saul and given it to David. Saul had also turned his back on the LORD by hating David so much that he tried to kill him. Now we are told Saul turned his back on the LORD once more and wants to find a medium. We know the story, and we will get the conversation between Saul, the medium, and the one she brings up, Samuel, but for now, we need to understand our only source is the Lord. We can never look to any other source for the direction of our lives. We cannot be influenced by what is happening in the world we live in. We cannot base our thoughts, our opinions, our lives, on the news of the day, or how others think, or their opinions of the news of the day, even if they profess faith in Jesus. We always need to go directly to the source of all truth, God’s word. We also have a direct line, full access to the Father through Jesus to seek his truth, his divine direction for our lives, and our thoughts and options, even the news of the day. Saul could not find the answer from the LORD, either through a dream, vision, or from the Urim, which is the ocular brilliance of the figures in the high priest’s breastplate, or through prophets. That is strange enough to try to find truth in an object, a breastplate, but then to want to go to a medium shows us how lost Saul’s soul really was. Our only source of truth is the Lord, and the only direction for our thinking and opinions for life is the Lord. This would require us to build each other up, to encourage one another, not tear down or argue over the issues of the day. Our faithfulness to the truth of God should influence our thoughts and opinions about all things, how we live, what we do, and how we interact with others, both in the house of faith and the outside world. Let us always go to the Lord seeking his truth, his word, and he will answer us, he will direct our ways, our thoughts, and options regarding our day. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to us as well. 

Action Without Counsel

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

ACTION WITHOUT COUNSEL

1 Samuel 27

27:1 But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand." 2 So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him. 5 Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?" 6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months. 8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, "Where did you go raiding today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah" or "Against the Negev of Jerahmeel" or "Against the Negev of the Kenites." 11 He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.'" And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever."

NIV

Why did David flee to the enemy of Israel? We are told the reason was that he thought Saul would not pursue him in the territory of the enemy of Israel. But David’s conduct is not proper. Seeking the protection of Achish, a Philistine king, but then he raids the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites and lies about it, telling Achish that he raided places in Israel. We cannot condone the actions of David, for he killed every last man and woman, leaving none alive, for the expressed reason that they could not be a witness against him. How can this be part of the word of God? Why would the Lord want us to know this unacceptable behavior of David, a man God testified was a man after his own heart? David was not acting like he was a man after God’s heart, but rather acting from his own heart, which at this moment was not righteous. We do not see God vindicating David or giving any approval, yet for some reason, this inspired writer put this in the record. What can we learn from this? We believe the first course of any action should be to consult the Lord. We are not told that David asked the LORD what he was to do, but acted purely on his own heart’s desire. We can take the lesson from this narrative that we must first seek the counsel of the Lord, and we must always speak the truth. David did neither, yet we should endeavor to do both. We know that we live under a little different circumstances than David did, as our lives are governed by the laws of our land, and raiding and taking plunder is just not our way of life. However, we still should not make decisions about anything important without consulting our Lord. This should include those major areas of our life, like where we live, work, and worship. We should also be asking the Lord about the smaller things of life; in fact, we would be wise to simply look for the light that illuminates our path. How can we make any decision based on human understanding when we are so flawed? We understand many, if not most, of those who live in the world base all their decisions and choices on human understanding, but we believers must be different. We should base all our decisions and choices on the wisdom of God, and the only way we can do that is to seek his advice on every matter. We cannot afford to take action without counsel. 

Value

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

VALUE

1 Samuel 26:22-25

22 "Here is the king's spear," David answered. "Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble." 25 Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

NIV

One more thought from this exchange between David and Saul after David and Abishai went into Saul’s tent and stood there talking about killing him, but David just took his spear and water jug that was near Saul’s head. In this portion of the exchange, David is on a hill far enough from Saul but close enough to talk to each other. The point here is that David valued Saul's life, and he was asking the Lord to value his own life and deliver him from all trouble. We know that we live in a world where many people think mostly about their own lives, their plans, and putting all the emphasis on self. There are also many who serve others, putting a value on the lives of those who are in need of some form of assistance in life. Seeing the value in the lives of others is an honorable act of love that should be a part of all within the community of faith. David said another thought about when he asked the LORD to value his life and deliver him from all trouble. There is no question in our hearts and minds regarding the fact that the Lord values our lives. First of all, He created us in His image. But the greatest expression of value for our lives was sending Jesus to remove all our sins so that we might have eternal life and live once more in the paradise with the Lord God Almighty. How could we ever think the Lord does not value us? That one act of love delivered us from the threat of eternal damnation in hell. We also believe that because of his great love for us, the immense value he puts on our lives, he would deliver us from all trouble. We do wonder when we hear that expression, “Why bad things happen to good people”, why they say that. Is that an excuse for not believing the Lord will deliver them from all trouble? Or is it true that good people have troubles? We also wonder if the term, good people, has any reference to the people of God, or is that simply a generic term used for those who appear good, but do not have a heart for God. We would have to believe that those within the household of faith would know that the Lord delivers them from all trouble. We know how the Lord delivered Israel from so many troubles. Yes, they were in trouble in Egypt for centuries, but when they turned from their own trouble and cried out to the Lord, he delivered them. Over and over again, when they cried out to the Lord, he delivered them from trouble. Peter tells us to cast all our anxiety on the Lord, for he cares for us. However, the central point is that we must cry out to our Lord. That may not be like the cry of the Israelites, but when we have our hearts turned toward the Lord, always looking to him for all things in our lives, we can be assured he will deliver us from all trouble, because he values us. 

The Guard

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

THE GUARD

1 Samuel 26:13-25

13 Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. 14 He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, "Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?" Abner replied, "Who are you who calls to the king?" 15 David said, "You're a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. 16 What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD's anointed. Look around you. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?" 17 Saul recognized David's voice and said, "Is that your voice, David my son?" David replied, "Yes it is, my lord the king." 18 And he added, "Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? 19 Now let my lord the king listen to his servant's words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD's inheritance and have said, 'Go, serve other gods.' 20 Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea — as one hunts a partridge in the mountains." 21 Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly." 22 "Here is the king's spear," David answered. "Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble." 25 Then Saul said to David, "May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph." So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

NIV

This concludes the drama between David and Saul, marked by some form of agreement. However, this truth is still rooted in the humility of David, to the point where he called himself a flea, seeing himself as the smallest of men, especially compared to Saul, who still acts as if he is the rightful king of Israel. David had already been anointed by Samuel as the king of all Israel, and the LORD was upon him or with him, while he removed himself from Saul. However, David called out Abner as a failure in his duty to guard Saul. This could be our story as we have the responsibility to guard our own hearts, as well as the hearts of those around us. This could apply to our close family, but it also should apply to our church family. How do we guard another’s heart when they control their own thoughts and feelings? We are told to build each other up, to encourage each other, to bless each other. The word tells us in many letters to encourage each other, over and over again those words are used. The best method of encouragement is the very word of God. Speak the word to each other, rather than the weather, sports, politics, or some other worldly expression of entertainment that has nothing whatsoever to do with the Lord, although that is not to say we cannot talk about those areas or that it is bad. But how much more, or better, it would be if the Lord were our center of conversation. Let us speak about Jesus, about the word that gives us strength and builds our hope and our faith in the eternal things of God. At the same time, this means that our love for each other drives our passion toward encouraging each other, and that also means we never judge, looking for that speck in someone, while we have that log in our own lives. It seems some may have forgotten and decide to live by the law, or the rules they have set, thinking it defines righteous living, but that also drives judgmentalism rather than encouragement. That was the heart of the Pharisees that Jesus spoke about, being whitewashed tombs, but dead bones on the inside. We cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the law, except the law of love. So we first must guard our own hearts, and then we can guard others, encouraging them, strengthening and guarding their faith and hope in the word of God. 

Hand of God

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

HAND OF GOD

1 Sam 26:1-12

26:1 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?" 2 So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David. 3 Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, 4 he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.   5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him. 6 David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, "Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?" "I'll go with you," said Abishai. 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. 8 Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice." 9 But David said to Abishai, "Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the LORD lives," he said, "the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go." 12 So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.

NIV

Another moment when the LORD was involved directly in the life of David. He and Abishai enter the camp, where three thousand fighting men lie asleep. Why were there no perimeter guards on duty? It should have been customary that when an army camps, there would be those assigned to walk the perimeter being on guard duty. Yet, David and Abishai walked right into the tent of King Saul. This would also be normal for there to be a special attachment, the king’s guard that stands just outside the tent opening, protecting the king. Yet, David and Abishai walked right in and stood next to Saul as he slept. This was totally the hand of God at work, for he had put Saul and all the army that was with him, especially those who were in the tent with Saul, into a deep sleep. Who can measure the power of God over his creation? He has the power to cause men to be in such a deep sleep that men could stand right over them and talk and not be heard, and wake those asleep. God is sovereign over the people he made in their image. He can cause us to be in deep sleep, he can cause us to be changed, or he does the work of transforming us into who he intended us to be. He can work miraculously within our lives. He can anoint us through the Spirit who lives within. He can cause anything within us. David was just a man, but the LORD was upon him, or with him, and he would not do anything against the LORD’s leading in his life. Although in the flesh, he had the opportunity to put an end to Saul’s life and any conflict. But the LORD has another plan and works for the good of those who fear him, as David did and as we do. We simply have to learn to put all our trust in the plan of God for our lives. We have to learn from David, but more importantly, from Jesus, as to how we are to live within the hand of God. We may try to make our own way, but we know that could bring us trouble, so we face our Lord, seeking, listening, following his ways, for then we will find victory over death, but also over life. Let us submit ourselves to the All-powerful, All-knowing God of heaven and earth, who has all authority over his creation. We are His to do with as He pleases. He caused an army to fall into a deep sleep. He can cause anything within us, for we are his people who are in the hand of God. 

The Hand of Grace

 DEVOTION

1^ST  SAMUEL

THE HAND OF GRACE

1 Sam 25:36-44

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, "Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal's wrongdoing down on his own head." Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, "David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife." 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, "Here is your maidservant, ready to serve you and wash the feet of my master's servants." 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five maids, went with David's messengers and became his wife. 43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. 44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

NIV

This might be a love story about David and Abigail, although how could David fall in love so quickly after only having one brief moment when Abigail beseeched him to hold his hand from bloodshed and killing her husband and all the males in the town. But the real story is about Nabal, the surly, mean, and abusive man who rejected David's request for any help he could provide concerning food for David's troops. Then this selfish man holds a feast as if he were a king, drinking and making merry, celebrating himself. However, when he found out about her going to David with all those supplies, his heart failed and he passed out, became unconscious, and then in ten days the LORD struck Nabal and he died. The LORD fought the battle for David without David lifting a hand against Nabal. This is where our lesson rests. The Lord will fight our battles as well. Sometimes we think that we must strike out, trying to vindicate ourselves from what we think was an offense against us. Sometimes, we might decide to hold a grudge, if only for a few days, to cause discomfort to whoever we think harmed us or hurt our feelings. Sometimes we might what the help of an army, citing how others think the same way we do, to prove our just cause of unforgiveness. David was relieved that the LORD upheld his cause against Nabal for treating him with contempt. We should always turn to the Lord with praise and honor and know that He is the Almighty God of heaven and earth, and his power is immeasurable. He holds the life of each of us in his hands. He decided Nabal was not worthy to live because of his treatment of others, and to show David how his mighty power worked for him. The Lord wants to do mighty works for us and in us and through us, but we must forsake our own efforts of battle against those who might offend us or hurt our feelings, or reject our thoughts, disagree with us, or however else that we think wrongs us. The Lord is clear that we must always forgive, for if we do not forgive that person, he will not forgive us. That is harsh, but it is true, and we need to be aware of how we treat each other, with mutual respect and out of love, which includes mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and holding our hand from striking out. Abigail brought peace in a bad situation, and as a result of her gentle heart, the Lord rewarded her by becoming the wife of David, the Lord lifted her up for her hand of grace toward David, and the LORD struck down Nabal for his hand of rejection against David. Let us always be about extending the hand of grace. 

The Humble Heart

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

THE HUMBLE HEART

1 Samuel 25:23-35

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said: "My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 May my lord pay no attention to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name — his name is Fool, and folly goes with him. But as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my master sent. 26 "Now since the LORD has kept you, my master, from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, may your enemies and all who intend to harm my master be like Nabal. 27 And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my master, be given to the men who follow you. 28 Please forgive your servant's offense, for the LORD will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my master, because he fights the LORD's battles. Let no wrongdoing be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my master will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the LORD your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. 30 When the LORD has done for my master every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him leader over Israel, 31 my master will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant." 32 David said to Abigail, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak." 35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, "Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request."

NIV

The humility of Abigail as she presents herself and her gifts to David is almost staggering. She bows low to the ground and gives him praise, honoring the fact that he has the anointing of the LORD upon him, and he is surely the king of Israel. But at the same time, she seeks or beseeches him to withhold his hand from bloodshed. She does not ever speak of herself, but lifts up David and speaks of the offense of her surly husband. David relents and grants her request. This could be seen as an example of a humble heart before our Lord God. We do come to Him with gifts such as the sacrifice of praise, giving him honor, lifting up the name of Jesus. We are also being the sacrifice of self, presenting ourselves before him, bowed down low. Of course, it seems that as we gather together, we are not bowing down physically, as Abigail did before David, but hopefully we bow our hearts or spirits before you, Oh Lord. Although Abigail was able to change the mind of David and he assured her that he would not shed any blood, granting her request, we wonder do we ever change the mind of God. We do know that once we were subject to his wrath, but as we responded to the request, as we call the conviction of the Spirit, and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer subject to his wrath, but rather to his grace. But then was God’s mind changed about us, because of our choice to follow Jesus, or was that God’s mind all along? Certainly, He has foreknowledge and always knew who we would be, in fact, forming us into the person He wanted us to be. Still, we should always bow before Him with humility in our hearts, with the gift of praise, honoring His sovereignty in our lives. We know God will never do any harm against us, but He will honor our requests. Let us take to heart the example of Abigail, but more importantly, the example of the gentle and humble heart of our Lord, Jesus, as he asked us to take his yoke upon us and learn from Him, for He is gentle and humble in heart, and we will find rest for our souls. This is a wonderful truth about learning from Jesus. He bowed himself before the Father, seeking the Father’s will, being humble before the Father, as Abigail was before David. Let us reflect the humble heart we have before God in our daily lives, and in our relationships with our fellow believers, as well as those outside the household of faith. We know the opposite of humility is pridefulness, but it is also selfishness, always thinking about self, always about the needs of self, the need to speak about self, rather than as Abigail gave us the example of speaking about David and his successes, and his anointing from God. If we learn anything from Jesus, it should be to have a gentle and humble heart. 

The Bad and the Good

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

THE BAD AND THE GOOD 

1 Sam 25:14-22

14 One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail: "David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. 15 Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. 16 Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. 17 Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him." 18 Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I'll follow you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal. 20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, "It's been useless — all my watching over this fellow's property in the desert so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!"

NIV

How is it possible to have two hundred loaves of bread unless this is a type of unleavened bread? Did Abigail have all that stuff just on hand to be able to hurry and load it all on a donkey? Nevertheless, this is a woman of substance, a woman with a heart that must have pleased the Lord. Before she meets with David, he is still bent on seeking the destruction of Nabal and all his household. Even Nabal’s own shepherds knew he was an evil man whom no one could talk to or persuade to change his mind.  We wonder if Abigail is trying to stop David from what he was about to do for the sake of her husband, or if she was motivated by the LORD. We will get to the exchange between Abigail and David, but first, we should consider that she was providing the request that was made by the ten men that David sent to Nabal, and how he rejected them. When she found out how her husband mistreated the men sent by David, she went into action, loading enough provisions to feed David and all his men. Perhaps it was enough to make an offering, a plea to change the course of David and save her family. What is our lesson from this portion of the narrative? Maybe it is about the provisions as an offering to change the heart of David. We know we can not give enough of an offering to God to change his mind or heart. He already loves us beyond what any human could measure; after all, his love is as far as the heavens are above the earth, or unmeasurable. Yet we are told to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. Interestingly, David’s statement about Nabal paying him back evil for good reminds us of Joseph telling his brothers that the evil they perpetrated toward him, God meant it for good. This brings us to the barrier between evil and good. For the most part, as we had considered before, Nabal represents the wickedness of mankind or the evil in this world. We can see evil everywhere we look, hatred against each other, divisions among the people, and even violence in the streets of our cities. So much wickedness all around us, and yet God has built a hedge around us, keeping us separated from evil by His goodness. Abigail was the one doing good and represents this concept of reconciliation that we considered before. There should be a difference between the wicked and the righteous. Although we would be known as the righteous, it is only because we are in Jesus and He is in us. However, for the sake of the comparison, we should be different.  That difference should not be based on our deeds, over the deeds of the wicked, because even the unbelievers can do great humanitarian deeds, sometimes better than the church does. No, the difference is a heart issue. Nabal had an evil heart, so much so that no one could talk to him. Abigail had a heart bent toward good, wanting to prevent injustice. At this point, David’s heart was bent on revenge, but we will see that goodness always prevails. We should always be about examining our heart, or asking the Lord to examine our heart, to see if there are any anxious thoughts, or wicked thoughts, or self-oriented thoughts. We desire to have a heart for God, but, like David, do we allow that “self” that hurts feelings, drives us toward the dark side, seeking retaliation in some form because our feelings are hurt? Let us endeavor to repay any bad with good. 

Emotions

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

EMOTIONS

1 Samuel 25:4-13

4 While David was in the desert, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. 5 So he sent ten young men and said to them, "Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. 6 Say to him: 'Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours! 7 "'Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. 8 Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my young men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.'" 9 When David's men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David's name. Then they waited. 10 Nabal answered David's servants, "Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" 12 David's men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

NIV

What an ugly man, this Nabel was, to respond to strangers coming in the name of David and bringing a blessing of long life and good health. Although Nabel is an example of self-centeredness, obstinacy, and downright meanness or wickedness, our story today is about the blessing of David upon Nabel and his household. Of course, having that blessing thrown back in his face, David felt that his blessing had not only been rejected, but his name had been thrown into the mud and stamped on. David is God’s anointed, and this Nabel could not care about anything or anyone except his own life. Is it any wonder that David strapped on his sword with the intent to destroy all that Nabel had, as well as his life? Was that right for David to be vengeful toward Nabel? Was it David’s emotions that took over? Is it right to seek revenge when our feelings are hurt? Revenge is only reserved for the Lord, and yet He does not treat us as we deserve. He does not seek revenge against those who revere him, but blesses them with his grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. But we are human, and when we are offended, even in the slightest way, we get upset, and anger takes hold of us, and we want to strike back, much as David wanted to strike back at Nabel. But shouldn’t we who fear the Lord be different? Do we still struggle with that old nature?  Doesn’t being a new creation mean we should not serve that old self or allow it to control our emotions, words, or responses? Couldn’t David have simply gone himself and approached Nabel in peace, rather than wanting to kill him? But then David was also human, with all the emotions, responding as a man, without the influence of the LORD. Still, his initial intent was to bless Nabel, but he was rejected, and that started him on the wrong path. Let us not allow others to control our emotions and lead us down the wrong path. Let us remember who we are, and who we are responsible to. We will see how this turns out for the best, because the Lord takes charge of the situation. Let us live with the Lord in charge of our lives, rather than our 'self' or our emotions being in charge. 

Two Types

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

TWO TYPES

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1 Sam 25:1-3

25:1 Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah.

Then David moved down into the Desert of Maon.   2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3 His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.

NIV

Like all men, Samuel’s time had come to an end, and all of Israel mourned. Samuel was a man of God, and we believe the LORD did not leave him in the grave, but took him home to be with him. Although his body may have remained behind until the day of the resurrection of the dead and the taking up of those who are alive. This event, we call the rapture; however, it is spoken of as being taken up, or caught up in the air to meet our Lord. We believe all godly people who breathe their last will be mourned, but also that there should be rejoicing. Perhaps not by the whole of a people, like Samuel was, but it is the destiny of all of us to pass through the shadow of the valley of death, but we will fear no evil, for the Lord is with us and His rod and His staff comfort us. We are not told the age of Samuel, but he lived a Godly life, and it would seem right to believe he lived to a ripe old age.  In the narrative that follows David and his men, along with a surly man named Nabal and his lovely wife Abigail, we will see the outcome of God's justice. This is our introduction to these characters, David encounters, and how the LORD intervenes to accomplish his will or plan for the life of David. We will get there soon enough, but for now, let us understand the Lord is Sovereign and has a plan for each one of us. He may work directly with us, speaking into our spirit, or heart, and even in our ears. He can work directly with us through his word, or he might work in us through the words of another person through the gift of the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, or the gift of prophecy. What we know is that the Lord has had his plan for us before we were born, as he knew us before the foundation of the earth. If that is not true, then he is not God, but it is true because He is God. Looking at these two people, a surly man and an intelligent and beautiful woman, and we already know David, so it is the character of these two that we take our lesson from. Interestingly, the Hebrew word qasheh, translated as surly means hard, difficult, stubborn, stiff of neck, intense, vehement, obstinate, and even cruel. We cannot believe any believer would fit into that description; for Nabal represents the world, however, Abigail offers us a look into a godly life, intelligent and beautiful, a look into what a child of God looks like.  

Reconciled

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

RECONCILED

1 Sam 24:8-22

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed.' 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you. 14 "Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand." 16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud. 17 "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me of the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father's family." 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

NIV

 Those words, “You are more righteous than I”, are from Saul to David, but also prophetic about us and the LORD. He is our righteousness. How can any man be righteous unless it comes from the LORD? However, David was surely a man after God’s own heart. He could have killed Saul, and he would have been justified because Saul was bent on doing evil by trying to kill David. It would appear they were enemies, except David did not want to kill Saul. In fact, he addressed Saul as master, as the LORD’s anointed, and as the king of Israel. There was reconciliation that happened that day, as it ended with an acknowledgement by Saul that David was meant to be the king, and when he sat on the throne, that he would be gracious to Saul and his descendants. David gave his oath to Saul. What a lesson for us to take to heart. We should always be the ones to do the work of reconciliation. If there is any division between us or ill feelings toward us by someone, and we become aware of it, we should be the ones to make every effort to be about peace and harmony. If we become aware that we are having some ill feelings, such as jealousy, envy, or angry, like Saul had been feeling toward David, we should first ask the Lord for his forgiveness, which of course, he will not only forgive, but removes our sin, then we need to ask the person we have had those unrighteous feelings toward for forgiveness. No matter which side of the fence we stand, it is our responsibility to seek reconciliation. However, we should never think that we are more righteous than another, even if it appears, we could be, as we see David was more righteous than Saul. It is right that the Lord would judge us, as he will judge us all. It is not so much judging between two people who may be at odds with each other, but he will judge each of us according to our deeds. That is not to mean our “Good works”,  but the bent of our heart. The Lord will judge each according to what we have done. If we are persistent in doing good by seeking glory, honor, and immortality, we will receive eternal life. However, we do not seek glory, honor, and immortality for ourselves, but those words define Jesus. He is the only one worthy of glory, honor, and immortality. The opposite of that are those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth, who is Jesus, and follow evil. It comes down to the only good we can do is follow Jesus, although doing good things for others is following Jesus, but the only thing that will be judged for is who we seek, and his name is Jesus. Just as Saul and David were reconciled, through Jesus we have been reconciled with God, even though it seems difficult to understand, God reconciled Himself to us. 

A Right Heart

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

A RIGHT HEART

1 Sam 24:1-7

24:1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 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 lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

NIV

There is more to the story of David and Saul, but we can learn a valuable lesson from the heart of David. Although Saul was filled with anger against David and sought to kill him, he took time to relieve himself. That sounds like he needed to empty his bladder, but a more direct meaning of the Hebrew is to cover his feet, which would mean to take a nap, fall asleep. This is why David was able to snip a corner of Saul’s robe, as Saul was sound asleep. However, David was conscience-stricken for doing such a thing. Interestingly, although David had been anointed by Samuel as the king of Israel under the direction of the Lord, for He had rejected Saul as king, David still considered Saul his master, the LORD’s anointed. This is a humbled-hearted man, one who knows the LORD, and who the LORD knows that David is a man after His own heart. At least this far in the whole struggle of Saul, we can see him represent wickedness, or evil, and David represents a man after the heart of God, just and righteous. It was and now stands as what we would call the ancient battle between good and evil. Of course, we believe we are the ones who represent good, as we believe God and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, while those in the world who have not yet or may never believe in Jesus represent the evil in the world. It is easy to judge that difference, but are we being self-righteous? “See how good we are”, “We go to church every Sunday”, “ We know Jesus”. However, we wonder, because our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the forces of evil in this world and in the heavenly realm. The fact is, we do battle with evil, and if we are to be honest, we battle against our own evil thoughts that can sneak in. Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts, see if there is any wicked way, or anxious thoughts in me, and lead me in ways everlasting. David wanted God to make sure that the Lord would show him if he had any anxious thoughts, or a more wooded translation, any pain, sorrow, or idol thoughts. Anxious would fit in this idolatry or pain and sorrow, as all of that kind of thinking surrounds self-centeredness. Could we have anxious thoughts? Could we battle with some aspect of evil thinking? Do we judge others or criticize their actions? Do we think more highly of ourselves than we should? It appears David did not, although he had the anointing of God on him. Is gossip a form of evil thoughts? Let us ask the LORD to search our hearts, to try us, and see if we have any wicked thoughts. Let us desire to have a heart after God, a right heart.