Ordinary people, extraordinary God – David the outlaw
1 Samuel 21:1-15; 1 Samuel 24:1-22, Psalm 37:1-9
- Facing threats and injustice – David had done everything right. He had devoted his life to serving God and serving Saul as King. He had been obedient to God’s calling. It wasn’t his fault he had become Israel’s hero. Suddenly everything went wrong for him and he had to flee for his life and hide. He even had to pretend to be insane to protect himself. He ended up on the run from King Saul. Bad things can happen to good people even though they have done nothing wrong. Bad things can happen to God’s people. God sometimes allows us to go through tough times so we become the people He wants us to be. Remember God is sovereign over all and over all things. Even David struggled with these things, but God disciplines those He loves. God works through all our troubles and trials. Are facing issues in life? Ask God what He is trying to teach you. What is He preparing you for? Are you encouraging yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:). How did David face threats and injustice?
- David panicked – in 1 Samuel 21 David panicked. He had faced Goliath, the lion and the bear. He had written the best songs in history. But he panicked when facing Saul’s threats. When he reached Nob he had nothing and he answered questions with lies and stole what was consecrated to God and took Goliath’s sword to defend himself and relied on his own strength rather than the Lord’s. David’s panicked resulted in dire consequences for the priest and his whole family. David then had to pretend to be insane. He became an object of mockery and scorn rather than a hero. Are you a panicked? How do you face challenging circumstances? Do you panic, plot and scheme or do you trust God? Panicking leads to exhaustion, stress and anxiety. We need to experience God’s peace even in the middle of the storm. Panicking is the opposite of Psalm 23.
- David trusted God – by 1 Samuel 24 David has learnt to trust the Lord in all circumstances. Saul had caught up with him in the cave where David and his men were hiding. David could have killed Saul easily, but he was a transformed man and he trusted God to avenge him. As a result Saul was humiliated and David was honoured. Saul ended up recognising David as King of Israel.
Today God challenges us not to panic and to trust Him in all things.