Well as you know, I am slowly meandering through the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, I am still in the section in which King Saul is in hot pursuit of David.
I have been posting some leadership principles I am seeing displayed in David. Recently though I have been reading chapter 27 and in it I find that I am a little disappointed with David.
Dake's Commentary alerted me to the fact - a week or so ago - that David began acting - or re-acting out of fear in chapter 27. Up until this time, he was constantly following what he knew to be the will of God.
In chapter 27 he says something like - "my luck is sure to run out one day... surely Saul will catch up to me and kill me".
Then he makes a goofy decision to go over to the enemy... to move in with the Philistines no less!!
When I look back over what all God had brought him through I am amazed that David could not see that God's hand was upon him and God would continue to take care of him.
Then I think about my own response to circumstances around and realize that I am no so unlike David.
In the days leading up to chapter 27 God had pulled off several white-knuckled rescues... one time, Saul and his men were just one rock away from capturing David and his men when he received a desperate message to return home, the Philistines were attacking! ... on two occasions the fickle Ziphites (people from the land of Ziph) ratted David out when he was hiding in their wilderness. . . on another occasion, David and his men had driven the enemy out of the city of Keilah only to hear that Saul was coming and the men of the city expressed their willingness to throw him under the bus if Saul arrived ... and on two separate incidents David had been close enough to easily slit Saul's throat - yet he restrained himself, and left Saul to God.
Sometimes God just rescues us in amazing ways . . . but instead of those exploits enhancing our faith in Him, for some reason it has the opposite effect. Our response is to become more cautious!
Earlier this summer, we had a close call with a venomous snake in our yard. I truly believe God had His protecting hand on my family and me. . . but rather than trusting God more because He protected us - I find that I am trying even harder to play it safe.
Now I believe that God forgives, but sometimes He allows the natural consequences of our actions to run their course. David, his family and his band of men and their families all went to live in the land of the Philistines. David had escaped there once before but when officials became wary of him (after all he was the one that destroyed their human WMD - Goliath), David feigned madness and fled.
This time David hatched a plan.
He and his men would conduct raids on cities nearby. They would destroy everyone. Total annihilation. Then he would curry favor with the Philistine king by telling him that he had destroyed an Israelite city.
David left no one alive to counter his story and the king believed that David was becoming despised by his own countrymen. But I believed all that killing - killing that wasn't for a cause - did something to David.
Perhaps that is why when God allowed a temple to be built - he would not allow David to build it . . . because he was such a man of war.
When we view God as somehow limited in His willingness to intervene... our only alternative is to react in fear.
In the chapter that follows, Saul who was already very distant from God and empty found himself fearful at the prospects of a new battle with the Philistines. He was so afraid that he trembled.
Saul also went over to the enemy. In a desperate attempt to hear from God or someone - anyone! - Saul hired a witch or a spiritualist to try and call up Samuel.
It is a weird and haunting scene.
Saul had outlawed all soothsaying or such practices, yet now in desperation, he turned to the very thing he had despised.
Fear and emptiness have a way of doing that.
I don't know about you, but I find that when I stray into areas of temptation and testing, it is often because I am afraid of something or feel hopeless.
I think God has better, He doesn't want us seeking refuge in the shelter of the enemy.
He abides faithful.
You can trust Him.
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