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.