January 24, 2020
I greet and bless you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of 1 Samuel 26:24,25.
And indeed as your life was valued much this day, in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord. And let Him deliver me from all my tribulations. Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed my son David, you shall both do great things, and also still prevail.” So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.
From the above context we come to understand that David was running for his life from the cruel hands of King Saul. And even though he had an opportunity to kill King Saul, David spared his life. Yes, being scared of king Saul, David hid himself along with his bodyguard, Abishai in the hills of Hachilah. But Saul continued his hunt for David. He was jealous of David because he killed Goliath the Philistine giant and brought victory to the army of Israel. God had anointed David to be the next king of Israel. So King Saul was seriously searching for David, to kill him. He gathered well armed, three thousand warriors and surrounded the hill and Saul encamped
in the hill of Hachilah.
King Saul had done much injustice to David. He had given away David’s first wife Michal, to another man Phalti in marriage. And also with held his kingship from appointing David as king of Israel. David therefore sent out spies and came to know that Saul and his men had surrounded his hide out. But David and Abishai had been trapped inside the hill. David did not know how to escape from there. He knew for sure that he would be killed if he went outside. Therefore he cried out to God to save his life. And so, that night, God sent a deep sleep among the three thousand warriors including king Saul and Abner the commander of his army.
That night while all were in deep sleep both David and Abishai, came to the place where the warriors encamped and found Saul sleeping with his spear stuck in the ground, by his head. Then Abishai the body guard of David, said to him, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand, this day, permit me to strike king Saul, at once with the spear right to the earth. And I will not have to strike him a second time.” But even though David was afflicted by king Saul, he refused to kill him while he was asleep. He said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless. David further said, As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike, him or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to the battle, and perish.”And David refused to strike Saul. He only took the spear, and the jug of water, that was found by Saul’s head, and they both got away. And no man saw it or knew it. For they were all asleep because a deep sleep had fallen, upon them.
Then David went to the other side, and stood on top of the hill, afar off, at a great distance. David, cried out to Abner, the body guard of king Saul saying, “You are worthy to die as you have not guarded your Lord the king and he showed him the king’s spear, and the jug of water, that was kept by the side of king Saul’s head. King Saul immediately recognized the voice of David, and said, “Is that your voice my son David?’’’And David said, “Here is the king’s spear, let one of the young men come over and get it.”Then David said, to king Saul, “May the Lord repay everyman for his righteousness, and his faithfulness. For the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. And indeed as your life was valued much this day, in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord. And let Him deliver me from all my tribulations”. Then Saul said to David, “’May you be blessed my son David, you shall both do great things, and also still prevail”. So David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.
As David says, let God be the judge. Let Him deal accordingly to the mercies of God. The Lord will repay every man for his righteousness, and his faithfulness. Cast all your burdens upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you. The righteous shall never be moved. For whoever pursues righteousness, and love, finds life. David was very righteous; therefore God did not give him into the hands of the wicked. Instead he saved him from all his troubles and set him above all, as the royal king of Israel.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank you for this blessed day. Thank you for teaching us to be more righteous. Help us to be faithful like David. May we endure troubles patiently like David, and bring honour and glory to God. Teach us to look up to God at difficult times rather than men who are undependable and unreliable.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
