I haven't said enough about the plight of David and King Saul in 1 Samuel 27-29. Both chose the thing that they loathed as a refuge when they became fearful and desperate.
David, for some reason strayed from his constant trust in God and took matters into his own hands. He did what we do - treated God like a "good luck charm" and somehow determined that God's grace was finite and his "luck" was about to run out.
David went over to the enemy and worked a very dangerous scheme destroying local villages and lying to the enemy king - pretending to destroy Israeli cities. The king didn't investigate closely ( in this respect he is a lot like King Saul) and David and his men left no witnesses. So the enemy king believed that David was forever breaking his bond with Israel.
Saul was in a fix. I can only imagine the great anguish he must have felt. He had always relied on Samuel to go to God for him and bail him out. Samuel was long gone. Saul apparently had no direct relationship with God.
Furthermore, his brightest and best ally - a leader of men - David, he had forced to go over to the enemy.
Now David along with the weight of the Philistine military machine stood ready to pound the nation of Israel - and Saul with it.
What a fearful position in which to find ones' self.
I see Saul's lack of leadership plainly displayed in the way that he would fully commit to one notion so quickly and without forethought - only to be turned and have his mind changed just as quickly.
Earlier in his reign, he had proclaimed a fast for his army - any one who partook of food before the stated time would be executed - even if it was his son.
His son, Jonathan - sensible yet very noble - was unaware of the decree. When he happened upon some wild honey, he ate and offered it to the men.
There came a reckoning and it was time for Saul to be true to his word - his son had disobeyed (though unknowingly) his command and his statement had been that even he would have to pay the price.
Yet the people said -"you can't do that" - so Saul quickly capitulated.
Now Saul had forced all spiritualists, soothsayers and mediums out of the land; yet in his desperation he turns to one.
Today, while at my parent's home waiting for them to return from a little excursion, I picked up a book of some of Charles H. Spurgeon's sermons. I started reading one about David and in it he mentioned this event.
Spurgeons' advice was that we should be very "afraid of being afraid", because of the way fear can turn our eyes away from Him that is able to help us.
Saul's episode would end tragically.
David however, would find that experience can be a great teacher and in this instance the Teacher was pointing out that he should not leap into situations without first consulting God.
As Spurgeon pointed out, David is somehow like the epitome of us all.... he is everyman.
Though he was a magnificent leader of men - and FOLLOWER of God, he made errors.
We saw it when he strapped on his sidearm (so to speak) and headed off to destroy Nabal and his shepherds over something he said. We saw it again here, when he conjured up images of defeat in his own mind and set out to find his own solutions.
God was faithful - His grace protecting His child - as in the instance with Nabal in which Abigail intervened so beautifully; God sent some disgruntled Philistine WarLords who saw David passing in review along with King Achisch in the pre-battle military parade.
These warriors reminded Achisch that David was a Hebrew (and like the Lone Ranger) - "once a Hebrew, ALWAYS a Hebrew". They further reminded Achisch of how David had destroyed their secret weapon (Goliath) and how his exploits were reputed to be ten times that of King Saul's.
Achisch benched David and in so doing - God prevented David from raising his hand against his brothers... but he came very close - too close.
Do you have a real relationship with God? Or are you more like Saul - placing all your identity in someone else's relationship?
When you realize that you have done "goofy" and are locked into a collision course with the natural outcomes of your decisions . . . do you think God's grace will reach you even there?
Or will you respond as Saul and never ask?
Speaking as one who has done "goofy" more times than I would like to expand on here - I can tell you that God's grace is enough.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved
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