Scripture: 1 Samuel 22-23.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

1 Samuel 22:3 (NLT)

3 Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.”

1 Samuel 23:1-4 (NLT)

1 One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors.

2 David asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the Lord told him.

3 But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”

4 So David asked the Lord again, and again the Lord replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

David had been on the run for a while, but yet we are shown where he was not one to make quick, snap decisions without first consulting with God and seeking His will. In the two examples above, I was touched to see how this man of God sought after God’s heart and approval before making a move. It seems like each and every day there are important decisions that we need to make, but I wonder how much of that we bathe in prayer and seek God’s will on. Because of God’s direction and help, we can see where David made a move that could have jeopardized the 600 men that served him. Although David’s army was safe, the move unfortunately served to provoke Saul into killing all the priests of Nob and their families for the favor one had paid to David before his travels in the wilderness, but David gained the confidence of one of the sons of these priests that escaped. Then again in chapter 23 I’m sure that David could have easily snapped to a quick decision to attach the Philistines who had invaded Keilah, but before he made any such decision he sought after God’s will. What I thought was interesting is that although David heard God’s response, when he called his army together to follow through on the attack and he received opposition from them, he asked for reassurance from God. Wow, if only we would be so insistent about seeking and following God’s will. What a powerful band of Christians Satan would have to battle in our towns. We would have no equal, and would face our enemies with bold confidence because of whose we are. God won the battle for us already on Calvary, and He will do it again, and again, and again, if only we will let Him. We are children of the same master and Lord that David served, oh that we may have the heart of David and seek God’s face and His ultimate will as we make daily decisions that could very easily impact the kingdom.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, we are so blessed to have Your Word available to us and see the circumstances, like in this story of David where You were always there for him through, what appears to be, very challenging situations for mere humans. Praise God that I serve the same master, the same Lord, the same Savior that answered David’s prayers and came through for him time and time again. Each and every day we face a world that seems like it is out to get us. It is so evident that old Satan is busy in and around us Lord, and we need Your strength and Your power to see us through. I pray that You will remind me each day of the importance of seeking You first in all that I do. Jesus, take my hand, lead me and guide me through this walk so that I may represent You well and show others the love that You not only have for me, but that could be theirs also. May this be a glorious day with You in control of my every step and every word, oh Lord!

 

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