Strength in God

 DEVOTION

1^ST SAMUEL

STRENGTH IN GOD

1 Samuel 23:14-18

14 David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. 15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 "Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." 18 The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

NIV

We are amid Saul hunting for David with the intent of capturing all his men, and ultimately killing David. Perhaps Saul thinks that if he killed the man who had been anointed as the king of all Israel, then he could remain on the throne and continue to live like a king. If that was the intent of Saul, then he was driven by self-centeredness, which is motivated by wickedness or just plain evil. We know from what the scripture tells us that Saul’s heart had gone to the dark side, harboring murder in his heart. However, there was also Jonathan, the son of Saul, who loved David and was loyal to him, having made a covenant with him. Now we see Jonathan finding David and helping him find strength in God. Jonathan affirmed the fact that David was or would be the king over all Israel and that David would sit on the throne. Jonathan also told David that he would be second in command. But the story is about Jonathan showing up to help David find strength in Elohiym, the supreme God, but also the magistrate, or judge. This was a different word used for God than the normal LORD, or Yahweh. However, our lesson is about strengthening others in the Lord. Because we can only see the outside or personality of other believers, we cannot know their hearts; only the Lord knows each heart. We can endeavor to strengthen their walk with Jesus. Jonathan may have known that David was a little down, and questioning the LORD as to why Saul was trying to kill him, or that David was growing weak in his faith, because they were covenant brothers, and they laid open their hearts to each other. We may not have that advantage with other believers, being transparent with each other so that we know the concerns or heart pains, if we can use that expression, of other believers. However, no matter how strong or weak another’s heart might be, we can still make an effort to help them find strength in God. What is also interesting is that Jonathan helped David find strength in God, which meant Jonathan had strength in God, for without his strength in God, he could not have helped David find strength in God. Then, we need to know our strength in God before we help others find that same strength.