April 16 - 1 Samuel 22:1-2 | Psalm 57 | Psalm 142 | 1 Chronicles 12:8-18 | 1 Samuel 22:3-23 | Psalm | 1 Samuel 23:1-12

Good morning everyone,

 Oh my word, amazing reading today! I love how the psalms are blended into the story of David. They are transformed from being a lovely psalm to the more tender nuance of a prayer, allowing us to be a part of a most intimate moment David is having with God and see that the time David spent on his knees is not so different from the times we ourselves go to God in prayer. Lovely picture! 

We pick up today with David in the cave of Adullam where upon hearing of David’s troubles, his family would travel to join him there, probably to not only show their support but most likely their life was in jeopardy too with Saul so angry at David. You know? Furthermore, we’re told that about four hundred men from Gad who were in distress, debt or just plain discontented with Saul, who just happened to be brave warriors ready for battle, came knocking on the door of David’s cave as well.

Now that David has a little bit of a support system going on, the first thing he does is get his family to safety. You will remember that David is related to the Moabites, his great-grandmother was Ruth and so he goes and has a chat with the king of Moab who agrees to let his father and mother stay there until he knows what God has planned for him. 

Meanwhile, Saul is being cRaZy Saul. You remember Doeg? The do-og who witnessed David lying to get bread from the priest? Well, he just threw Ahimelek, that priest, under the bus, telling Saul that he had seen him helping David. Saul sends for the priest and his whole family who were the priests at Nob, and accuses him of siding with David. But Ahimelek is so confused because honestly he himself had been deceived and having no knowledge of what was going on he adamantly professes his innocence. However, Saul in all of his blind, insane behavior would not hear it and ordered the guards to kill Ahimelek along with all the priests of the Lord. To their credit, they refused the kings order. The king would then give Doeg the same order and this blood thirsty animal of a man had no problem slaughtering not only the eighty-five priests but he would travel to Nob the town of the priests, and likewise slaughter its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep. Super nice guy … not!

There would be one and one only to escape, a son of Ahimelek, Abiathar, who quickly fled to where David was with his tragic story. David encouraged him to stay there where he would be safe, though, imagine, if you can, David’s guilt at finding out the devastating ripple effect of his sinful lie to the priest, and it certainly begs the question; did Abiathar know of David’s role in all of that? Because, I am thinking what a beautiful heart this priest had. I am not seeing at all where he played the blame game, or had any animosity what so ever. I want a heart as pure as that. Right?!

Next David gets a message that the Philistines are looting the folks at Keilah, they need help. I love that the first thing that David does is ask God if He wants David and his guys to go help out. God says, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah”, but David’s team says “What?? We’re in enough trouble here. Are you sure?” So David goes back, just to be sure, and asks God again if that be His will, and God said “Go.” So David will take his men and help the people in Keilah, but what we need to get here is that it is okay to go to God to reaffirm anything we think He has told us. Sometimes I wonder and I am guessing you do too, “Is that really from God?” It’s good to check it out because if it is from God, he will validate it either through His Word, a friend, a circumstance or whatever, if you allow it He will make His will known.

Friends, the story is just getting good. You see Saul knows David is going to be in a gated city and David knows, that Saul knows, so David asks God if he will be safe there and God tells David that actually the citizens of Keilah, these very people he just risked his life to save, will actually turn him and his men over to his enemy Saul. If you’re David are you scratching your head thinking, “Huh, alrighty then”? We’ll find out tomorrow what happens next. While this is a bit of a cliff hanger one thing is for certain, our God will never leave us hanging. Our God loves, loves, loves us and is always there for us. Remember in Joshua 1:9 we read “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Good words for David and us to live by. Amen?

Have a great day, to God be the glory.
God bless you all …