God Speaks
David Flees for His Life; Saul Pursues Him
Verse of the Day: [David said to Saul,] “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. As the old saying goes, ‘From evil doers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. . . . May He consider my cause and uphold it; may He vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” (1 Samuel 24:12-13, 15 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Reflection
Consider the following questions regarding1 Samuel 21-24
> 1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
> 2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1 Samuel 21
1. God is willing to have things dedicated to Him be used to provide for or protect His servants.
2. People should be like Ahimelek the priest at Nob and give assistance to servants of God like David.
1 Samuel 22
1. God may allow “bad things to happen to good people” for good and loving reasons that we humans may never understand.
2. People who feel threated are likely to do some extreme and evil things, as King Saul did.
1 Samuel 23
1. God cannot be manipulated. He only gives positive answers to those who will trust and obey Him.
2. People who feel threatened may go to great lengths to harm or eliminate their perceived rivals.
1 Samuel 24
1. God is full of mercy and grace.
2. David’s treatment of Saul is an example of how mercy and grace can be exhibited on the human level.
Prayer
> 3. How might I pray regarding 1 Samuel 21-24?
Thank You, LORD God, that You are willing to have things that are dedicated to You be used to provide for or protect Your servants. After all, You are the One who set up the regulations for the tithes and made provision for the Levites. Please help me to be like Ahimelek the priest at Nob and to give assistance to Your servants whenever I can. God, You may allow “bad things to happen to good people” for good and loving reasons, but in my humanness, I may never understand. Help me to trust You regardless. In my culture today, people who feel threated are doing some extreme and evil things. Please help me (and others of Your followers) to use soft words and take appropriate actions to counter this and point people to You. LORD God, You cannot be manipulated. You only give positive answers to those You know will trust and obey You. Otherwise, these people who feel threatened may go to great lengths to harm or eliminate their perceived rivals or oppressors. But You, O God, are full of mercy and grace. David’s treatment of Saul is an example to me of how mercy and grace can exhibited in the midst of very trying circumstances. When we behave as he did then, we bring You glory LORD. AMEN
Action (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
> 4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to 1 Samuel 21-24?
With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
I will look for ways to assist God’s servants.
I will trust God even when bad things happen to good people I know (even myself).
I will examine my prayers and eliminate any instances where I am trying to manipulate God instead of trusting and obeying Him.
I will ask God to help me to extend His mercy and grace to someone this week particularly to an “enemy.”
Share
I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.