Talk Ain't That Cheap

1 Samuel 25:1-42

 At this point, David has more than proven his faithfulness to God; and not a moment too soon because Samuel now dies and is buried at his home in Ramah. So, David moved to the wilderness of Maon (or Paran) near a place called Carmel. The time came to celebrate the sheep shearing, and David and his men wanted to participate. That being the case, they asked their neighbor to hook them up.

Now this wasn't just any neighbor; this was Nabal, a wealthy man with many goats and sheep and fields and servants. Not only that, but David's men had protected his sheep and shepherds while they were grazing through their area. So, surely this neighbor could return the kindness with this small request. But, the Bible tells us that Nabal means fool, so here's how it really went down.

David sent ten of his men to make the request in his name. Once he heard their request, Nabal replied by screaming all sorts of insults at them. He called them runaways, liars, freeloaders and probably all sorts of other  socially unacceptable terms, for the time. So, David's servants returned to him empty handed and told him what happened.

Oh, really?! When David heard that, he told his men to get their swords, while he was getting his own. He was about to go do some damage; he felt slighted, after all. He and his men had protected this man's livelihood out of friendly courtesy, and now he doesn't even know who David is? In David's mind, now he had to pay. Meanwhile, one of Nabal's servants went to his wife, Abigail, and told her what happened, warning her that she needed to do something or things were going to get ugly for all of them.

Fortunately for Nabal, his wife understood the value of words and their relation to actions. She immediately whipped into action, gathering all the items David's men may have had in mind when they made their request; and in no small volume. She sent the items ahead with the servants, then made her way toward David's camp on a donkey.

As they approached each other in a mountain ravine, David was declaring his rage and vowing vengeance on Nabal, his family and all he owned. When Abigail saw him, she approached him very humbly and respectfully, bowing deeply at his feet. Then, she went into her spiel about how great David was and how he feared God and was merciful, even to men who hunted him. She appealed to his devotion to God and his uprightness and sealed the deal by reminding him that he didn't want to have Nabal's blood on his hands for getting his own revenge.

David was impressed and agreed to accept Abigail's gifts and speech in exchange for Nabal's and their lives. (It probably didn't hurt that Abigail was also a beautiful woman.) So, she went back home to find her husband throwing a huge party and getting very drunk. Since she had not told him that she had done all these things, she decided to wait until the next morning, when he was sober, to fill him in.

And when she did, boy did he take it hard. Indeed, he had a stroke and lay paralyzed in bed for a full week and a half when he heard that news. Then, God finally put him out of his misery (or gave him what he earned) and struck him dead. Well, that word got back to David and he threw his own little party. Of course, he had to invite Abigail to join him...permanently. She gladly accepted the invitation, and became one of David's wives along with Ahinoam of Jezreel. (I know, it seems pretty shady, but, hey, that's how they rolled back then.)

So, what's the moral of this story? Well, there could be many. The main things I took from it - this time - are that 1) it's not expedient to return evil for good, 2) wisdom and sincerity (and attractiveness) can go a long way to mend relationships and save lives, and 3) words mean something.

We can't just go around talking to and treating people any old way and think that's okay; especially not a child of God. So, since we don't always know who belongs to him - and even when we do, we have to treat people with respect, dignity and fairness. Not just to avoid God's wrath if we don't, but because it's the right thing to do. Then, any additional blessings God decides to give us for doing what he says are a bonus.

Lord, help us to always do what is pleasing in your sight. We know that everyone will not always treat us right or live for you the way we do. But, help us to remember that others' poor treatment of us is no excuse to treat them poorly in return. Give us grace and wisdom to deal with them in the way that you would have us to. Show us how to love those that hate us and bless those that curse us. Teach us to forgive and move forward in life; not hang on to hurts of the past. Thank you for forgiving us and being patient with us, even though we continue to make mistakes. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

When The Rubber Meets The Road

1 Samuel 24:1 – 22

David was on the run. Saul had been pursuing him, heatedly. He even enlisted the assistance of his entire army to find David so he could kill him; all because of his jealousy. David fled from town to town, and wilderness to wilderness, escaping Saul's pursuit. Even the people that David and his men rescued from their enemies could not be trusted to do the same for them when they were questioned. People were ratting him out left and right, and those who didn't were killed - their entire family and all they owned.

So, David found himself and his men holed up in a cave in the wilderness of En-gedi. Saul had delayed his hunt to fight off an attack by the Philistines, but as soon as that was handled, he was right back on his most wanted man. Now, clearly, he was not in his right mind. His jealousy had caused him to victimize himself, making David - his son-in-law and son's best friend - his aggressor. All this, when in actuality, David had never done anything against him. In fact, most of what David had done was to benefit Saul. And this was how he repaid him?

For most people, the tables would have turned a long time ago and David's flight would have turned to fight. But, that was not how David operated. Indeed, the fact that he was so intent on doing God's will is what got him in this predicament. So, what happened next? Well, David's mettle was tested.

Saul was now back on his trail, but he had to go potty. So, he went off into a cave for some privacy. Little did he know, the cave he chose was the very one where David and his men were hiding. David's men, of course, urged David to take Saul out, right then and there. I mean, surely this was God delivering him into his hands so, finally, he could have rest. So, David crept forward in the cave and cut off a piece of Saul's robe.

Then the guilt hit him. Yes, this man was trying to kill him for reasons beyond either of their control, but he was also God's anointed king (for now, anyway). And because David honored God, he refused to go through with it, lest he be judged. Instead, he let Saul finish up and leave the cave otherwise untouched. But, he did follow after him to prove his innocence.

David called out to Saul and showed him the fabric he had cut from his robe. He told him that it was proof that he had no ill intent toward him, otherwise he would be dead right now. He also reminded him that God is still in control and would be the judge of both of them. Saul had no response to that. In fact, he stood there and cried, acknowledged the truth of the situation and even blessed David for his kindness. He admitted, then, what he knew all along - that David would be king, so he went so far as to ask him to have mercy on his family when that time came. Really? But, David being the man of God that he was, agreed and took an oath of it. Then they both went back to their strongholds.

Now, I know that I am not yet where David was in his walk with God, but I do intend to get there sooner than later. Honestly, though, I still think bad things about people when they treat me unfairly or unkindly. I catch myself wishing they would get what they're dishing out and worse. But in those times, I have to pray because that's when the true test is passed or failed. God already knows our outcome. He just wants to see how we will trust him through the struggle. Trust him to judge his people and fight our battles, so we can claim the victory he has promised us.

Lord, give us a heart like yours, so when hard times come, we can see our enemies as they really are. Let us always yield to your will, despite our situation or selfish desires. Remind us that you are the sovereign God and final judge of all. Even in our turmoil, let us rest in you. We thank you for your favor, Lord; even when it is the cause of others' jealousy toward us. Help us to be able to love and forgive those who trespass against us, just as you do for us. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Beware The Green-eyed Monster

1 Samuel 20:1-42

Saul is so super-jealous of David, his tormenting spirit is in full swing and he wants David dead. In fact, he was encouraging people, including his son, Jonathan, to help him do it. But, Jonathan loved David, like he loved himself - apparently even more than he loved his father. So, not only was he not willing to kill David, he felt he had to warn David of his father's plan.

So, he did just that. However, even after vowing not to kill David - at Jonathan's urging - Saul's tormenting spirit caused him to try, again, to kill David with his spear while he was playing his harp. Of course, David escaped, so Saul sent out a lynch mob for him. This time it was Michal, David's wife and Saul's daughter, who stepped in to save him. She helped him escape in the middle of the night when they came for him.

David ran to Ramah, where he met with Samuel (yep, he's still around!) and told him what Saul had done. So Samuel took him in, but Saul found out and sent men there to get him. But, God wouldn't let that happen; he had big plans for David. So, when the men got there, they got caught up in the Spirit and began prophesying with Samuel and the others. Saul decided to do it himself, but ended up with the same fate.

So now, David had to flee Ramah and find Jonathan. When he did, he asked him why his father was so set on killing him. But, Jonathan was in denial. He told David that his father had said nothing of the sort to him and he would definitely say something if he were. So they came up with a plan to learn the truth about Saul's intent toward David.

At the upcoming new moon festival, David would fail to attend. When Saul asked of his whereabouts, Jonathan would tell him that he went to Bethlehem to worship with his family. If Saul was okay with that, they would know David was safe. If he got angry, Jonathan would warn David and help him escape. To do that, David would hide in a field and wait for Jonathan's signal. The signal was Jonathan's arrow; after he shot his arrows toward David's hiding place, if he told his servant he passed the arrow, he was safe, but if he told him to go further, David was in danger.

So they put their plan in motion and, sure enough, Saul asked where David was on the second night of the festival. Jonathan told him that he went to Bethlehem to worship with his family, and Saul boiled over with rage. He cursed and argued back and forth with Jonathan about it for a while, then he threw a spear at him! At that point, Jonathan stormed out of the room.

The next morning, Jonathan went into phase two of their mission. He took his servant out to the field where David was hiding and told him to run out to pick up his arrows. As the boy ran, Jonathan called out to him to go further. So the boy gathered all the arrows and brought them back to Jonathan, who then sent him away. Once the boy was gone, David came out and saluted Jonathan. They hugged and wept together, remembered their pact of friendship and parted ways.

Sometimes in life, God has assignments for us that come from the failures of others. When that happens, those who failed their assignment can become bitter and angry and jealous. Jealousy is a dangerous sin: on its own because it distorts your thinking, but more so because it can lead to deadly actions if not checked. Even though we may have to move out of our comfort zone and away from those we love in order to escape the situation, only God can remedy the jealousy. So, when others are jealous of us, we have to pray for them and not just the situation or ourselves.

Lord, help us to recognize your hand in our relationships with others, especially when jealousy is in the mix. Help us not to be jealous of others, but know that you provide for us all we need and put on us no more than we can bear. Give us understanding and forgiveness when we have to stay, and wisdom to know when it's time to leave. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Jealousy Versus Humility: Where's Your Heart?

1 Samuel 18:1-30

At this point, David has defeated Goliath and all of Israel has taken notice...even Saul. Saul even asked the commander of his army about David's family and hometown. (Oddly, he already had this information from months before when David came to work in his court, playing the harp to sooth his foul moods.) In any case, David's victory over Goliath had earned him the hand of Saul's daughter in marriage; but, it didn't quite go down that way.

David told Saul that his father was Jesse and they were from Bethlehem. Then, David met Saul's son, Jonathan and became instant friends. From that point on, David was not allowed to return home as he had been previously. So, his and Jonathan's bond grew stronger and they made a pact of friendship - a huge deal in that day. And, Saul made him a commander over his troops because whatever he did was successful.

As the army returned from finishing off the victory that David started, by killing Goliath, the women came up with a victory song and dance. They sang that Saul had killed thousands and David ten thousands. Errrr. Say what? Now, we already know that Saul was an arrogant man. That's why his kingdom was in a slow downward spiral as it was. So, you can imagine his rage when he heard this.

Perhaps you recall that tormenting Spirit God put on Saul when David was anointed king. Well, it was back with a vengeance and a hatred for David. He was so jealous that ozone day, as David was playing the harp, Saul hurled a spear at him, hoping to pin him to the wall. But, David escaped...twice. So now, Saul has cycled through jealous anger to pure jealousy to jealous fear of David, all in a couple days. But, David stayed right there, just as humble as ever.

In fact, after Saul sent him away to command 1,000 troops in battle - which, of course he did successfully - he refused his rightful reward of Saul's daughter for a wife. So, a couple things with this. First, Saul surely dragged his feet in holding up this end of the deal. In fact, if he hadn't seen it as a way to possibly get rid of David, he may have never offered. Secondly, David's humility didn't allow him to bring it up, even though that reward was among his reasons for killing Goliath in the first place.

In any case, Saul told David he could marry his oldest daughter, Merab, if he fought the Philistines, hoping they would do his dirty work for him. David refused because he still identified with his humble beginnings and didn't see himself as worthy. But, then Saul's daughter, Michal, fell in love with David and Saul used that as a second chance to have David killed.

This time, Saul was more cunning. He had his men go to David and butter him up, so he wouldn't refuse Michal. David told them he couldn't afford the bride price. They reported this to Saul, so he made David an offer he couldn't refuse. He set the price at 100 Philistine foreskins, claiming that vengeance on his enemies was all he wanted. Of course, David was happy to oblige and even came back with twice the required price.

Well, now what? Not only did David not die in battle, he more than accomplished the mission and now Saul had to give him his daughter. Now, it became painfully clear to him that The Lord was with David and there was nothing he could do about it. So, his anger and fear and jealousy led him to become and remain David's enemy for the test of his life. Meanwhile, David remained humble, despite the fame he earned as he continued to be more successful than all his peers.

So, what can we learn from this story? As usual, that's a loaded question, but I will offer up a few ideas. The most obvious, I think, is that jealousy gets you nowhere. For all his rage and jealousy, Saul was still without God's favor and David still had it. Instead of trying to harm those who have things that we like or want out of jealousy, it would be more productive to focus on improving ourselves to get in a similar position - or one more suitable for us. Things that we see others with are not always good for us.

That feeds into the other major point here. When God does have something for us, we can't let pride get in the way of it. We have to remain humble, glorifying God for whatever it is that he has gifted us with and continue in it faithfully. David fought every battle in the name of The Lord and gave God the praise for every victory. We have to be the same in our lives, no matter how big or small we may think it is.

Thank you, Lord, for your justice. We know that we can trust your judgement in our lives, so we don't need to be aloud or arrogant. You know the plans you have for our lives and you are a rewarded of those who diligently seek you. Help us to be seekers, humbly doing your will and glorifying g you at every opportunity. Correct us when we let our flesh get in the way, so that we don't stray too far down a deadly path. We love you, Lord. Help us to always show you that love in the way we live our lives for you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Know Your Source

1 Samuel 17:32-58

Saul had summoned David after hearing of his inquiry about the reward for killing Goliath. When he got there, David told Saul not to worry because he would fight Goliath himself. Of course, Saul thought this was ridiculous because David was such a small, young boy and Goliath was a giant, trained from his youth to be a warrior. There was no way Saul was going to let David lose his kingdom to Goliath.

But David was persistent, and convincing. He explained how his experience as a shepherd, protecting his sheep from lions and bears, could help him. His true weapon, however, was his final argument. He told Saul that just as God rescued him from those animals, he would do the same against this Philistine who was defying the armies of the living God. With that, Saul could no longer relent and he allowed David to battle Goliath; even gave him his armor to do it.

Now, let's pause here for a bit and just think about what has taken place. For forty days, Goliath had taunted the Israelite army and they had run in fear. Then, David came along with his different perspective and turned everything upside down. All that time, the warriors of Israel had been seeing and thinking in the flesh. All they could see was a giant man whom they knew they could not physically defeat. David, however, saw the situation for what it was: a mere mortal defying his God, the true and living God! So, he knew that Israel already had the victory, they had but to claim it.

Now, back to our story. With that confidence, David prepared to fight Goliath, declining Saul's armor because it was too heavy and awkward. Instead, he used what he was familiar with, some stones and a sling and his shepherd's staff. As he approached, Goliath started with his smack talk about how he would feed David's flesh to the birds and wild animals. But, David gave it right back to him, telling him that when God defeats him, he would cut off his head and feed his flesh to the birds and wild animals...and all his men (so, aha)!

With that, Goliath moved toward David and David charged Goliath, using his small size and agility to his advantage. When he was closer, he pulled out a stone and used his sling to hurl it at Goliath, nailing him in the forehead. The stone sunk in and Goliath went down face first. Look at God! Then David used Goliath's own sword to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that, they ran. Now, all of a sudden, the Israelite army gathered some courage somehow, and chased after them, killing them all the way to Gath and the Ekron gates.

There are so many lessons to learn from this story, not the least of which is acknowledging God's dominion over everything. When we look at life through the eyes of the Lord, things take on a whole new perspective. Problems that seemed too hard appear trivial, people who seemed so difficult become stepping stones, and life in general becomes a little bit easier to handle. Obstacles may not disappear, but our ability to deal with and overcome them improves when we put our trust in God. And, when we trust God openly, those around us are encouraged to do the same.

God, we thank you for your protection and strength. Thank you for defeating our enemies for us as we hide in the safety of your wings. Please help us to glorify you in all of our victories and praise you anyhow in our defeats. We love you, Lord, and we want to please you, but we sometimes let fear in our flesh get in the way. Encourage us, Lord, in those times and remind us of your omnipresence in our lives. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

One Giant

1 Samuel 17:1-31

Now that David had been appointed king, God took his Holy Spirit from Saul and replaced it with a tormenting spirit. When he was troubled and depressed - as he now, often was - members of Saul's court suggested calm music to sooth him, so he called for a musician to come play for him. His servants suggest, none other then, David because he was a skilled harpist and warrior. So Jesse sent David, bearing gifts and David played for Saul when he was troubled. Saul enjoyed it so much, he asked Jesse to let him just stay there to serve in his court permanently; and so he did.

So, Saul's reign is on the downslope and he has his successor working for him...he just doesn't know it yet. Meanwhile, the Philistines are ready to war, again, against Israel. The two forces lined up on opposite sides of  a valley and waited for each other to make the first move. At that time, a common battle tactic was to let the strongest warrior from each side fight each other and the loser's side would surrender to the winner's side.

Well, the Philistine's best warrior just happened to be Goliath. As I'm sure many of you know, Goliath was a formidable creature. He stood somewhere between seven and ten feet tall (depending on your source) and he wore massive armor, including a helmet, chest and leg plates, and a heavy, weighted javelin. Every day, he would come out and taunt the Israelites, daring them to come over and challenge him. But, they were afraid and dared not move. They just sat there in cowardice and took it, day after day after day - for forty days!

So one day, as David was bringing his brothers some food, per his father's instruction, he witnessed this embarrassment for himself. Goliath came out and did his usual taunting and threatening, and David couldn't believe his eyes - more about that later. Then the men told him about the king's reward for defeating him; his daughter for a wife and a tax free life for the whole family!

That caught David's attention. He began to ask around, getting verification from other troops that what he had been told was correct. It was true, but his inquiry angered his brothers and word of it got back to Saul, who then sent for him.

Sometimes, issues in our lives can seem like Goliath did to Israel; too big to defeat, too strong to challenge. We can't even think about the problem, much less face it, without cowering in fear or running from it. It seems insurmountable and makes us feel hopeless. Even the prospect of some reward for overcoming is not enough to push us into a fight against it. But, that is just a matter of perspective, which will be covered in the next lesson.

Lord, we know that you have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Please help us to walk in your Spirit; by faith and not sight. Remind us, when we forget, of  your love and promise of protection and victory. Let us not be afraid of the arrow by day, nor terror by night for you are our refuge and safety. Thank you, God, that we can trust completely in you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Everyone Is Replaceable

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Previously, Saul disobeyed God, curtailing his kingdom, but God continued to use him. He, with the help of his son, Jonathan, defeated the Philistines. However, as I mentioned in another post, Saul had an issue with arrogance. He took God's protection and grace for granted and often attributed his success to his personal ability. In case there's any question, that's never a good idea when dealing with the things of God.

Sure, God allowed him to also defeat the Amalekites, but that was only because that's what God wanted done. In fact, he went so far as to give Saul very specific instructions, via Samuel, on how to go about doing it. He was very clear that absolutely everyone and everything was to be destroyed; nothing was to be excluded, not even the babies. I know it seems brutal, but the Amalekites had pretty much brought God's judgment on themselves when they attacked the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. (see Exodus 17:8-16 and Deuteronomy 25:17)

But, what did Saul do? Whatever he very well pleased. He took God's favor, defeated the Amalekites and spared their king, kept some plunder and went on his merry way. He figured, he would keep what pleased him, offer some of it to God as a sacrifice and all would be well. Unfortunately for him, God didn't see it that way. God rejected Saul's arrogance and disobedience and told Samuel to get his boy. Samuel called Saul on his error and listened as he tried to defend his actions. Then he put the smack down.

Samuel went in on Saul, telling him how God had rejected him and his actions and would be handing him his pink slip. He made sure to educate Saul on God's ways regarding obedience - it is better than sacrifice. Do what God says, then you won't need to sacrifice. Sacrifice is for atonement, repentance for sin. If you obey God, there is no sin to repent for. Then Saul had his "aha! moment". But, it was too late. He had sealed his fate and his replacement was in the bullpen.

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint Saul's replacement, the son of a man named Jesse. God instructed Samuel to go there under the premise of sacrifice in order to get the required audience without kindling Saul's suspicion. He gathered all the elders of Bethlehem and purified Jesse and his family for the ceremony. Then he had Jesse present all seven of his sons, one by one. Of course they were presented in the order of attractiveness and apparent fitness for the position. But God said no.

He warned Samuel not to look at the outward appearance because he was looking at their hearts. So Samuel asked Jesse if those were all of his sons, and he admitted to having another, the youngest, who was tending sheep. He sent for him and immediately, God said, "that's the one". So Samuel stepped forward and anointed David in the audience of his brothers and all who were gathered there. He was overcome with the Holy Spirit from then on. Samuel returned to Ramah, having completed his assignment.

And that, folks, is the danger of disobedience. God is a loving, patient and merciful God, but even he has his limits. When he gives us assignments, he has a reason. He knows what needs to be done and he knows he wants us to make it happen. On occasion, he will even go so far as to tell us exactly how to do it. When we disobey, it's a slap in the face; it's frustrating, and sometimes, it causes him to move on to the next. Don't let your assignment get taken away because of stubbornness, fear, arrogance or anything else. Because, just as Saul shows us, everyone is replaceable.

Help us to be obedient, Lord; doing just what you say. We know it won't always be easy or comfortable or fun, but you will never put more on us than we can bear. Help us to always honor you in our actions and attitudes, not letting our own desires get in the way of doing your will. Give us humility, God, so that you get the glory from all of our success. We know it comes from you and you alone. Thank you, Lord, for your favor. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.