June 11 – 1 Samuel 23:1-14

June 11 – 1 Samuel 23:1-14

Dear Father, we come before You in praise and with thanksgiving for You give us our, ‘But God’ moments. You orchestrate our lives for Your glory. May we in our quiet time recognize You for who You are: our Lord God, the God of Israel.

First, do your own quiet time and 4R journaling.  When you are completed, come back here for the lesson.

Request God’s help

Read 1 Samuel 23:1-14

Record a verse that stands out to you

Respond to God

But God did not give him into his hand

How many times has God refused to give us into the hand of our enemies?  I think if we knew the answer we’d be utterly speechless.  But there He is, thwarting the enemy at every turn, refusing to give us up.  And it is not for lack of satan’s trying, because he surely is relentless in his pursuits of us. But God is even MORE relentless!!!!

As determined as Saul was, he was no match for God’s determination.  God will do as He pleases, when it pleases him.  And all the while when Saul was being so persistently relentless, it was all for naught; for Saul anyways.  For David, it was an opportunity time and time again to see how God protected him.  When the odds appeared to be stacked again David, those odd were no match for the God who saves.

Long before this relentless pursuit of David, David had inquired of God.  He sought God’s will and even when his people raised concerns and doubts, he brought those before the Lord.  So respectful of his people, that David.  David was given an answer by God, highly likely trusted that answer, but still allowed his people to see it for themselves, allowed them to experience that trust as well.  And again, God told him what to do, with a bit more clarity, and David and his men went ahead and obeyed.

Note that David had been going out according to God’s will even though he had an assurance. The assurance that he was the line from which Jesus would come. God promised that.  Yet David still inquired of God what God’s will was and still told God he wanted that protection.  He did not take advantage of that knowledge and promise and just go headlong into the situation without conversing with God.

At every turn it would seem that it was all in Saul’s favor.  He had more men than David.  David was apparently trapped within the city as there was only one way in or out and when David fled, Saul pursued him relentlessly.  Yet, God refused to hand David over to Saul.  Thus, His covenant remained intact.

David did not take the weight of being in the line to Jesus lightly.  His devotion to God was evident, His desire to walk in God’s will was clear.  May we have the same zest for a life pleasing to God.  May we in our grace covering not willfully walk in sin knowing that we will be forgiven when we ask for it.  And may we continually ask for God’s will for our life so that we may bring glory and all honor to God.

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2

(Further Reading: Psalm 18; Psalm 63 )

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for You are in total control.  We thank You that despite this sinful world in which we live, You are still working, even when we cannot see it.  While we travel through our darkest times, lean so close to us, let us know for certain that You are there.  And let us know for certain You see us.

What’s next?

As the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, share what He has laid on your heart.

Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.

My Verse: 1 Samuel 23:14, “And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.”