True to God

Based on 1 Samuel 27-28, Psalm 57

"They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." Psalms 57:6‭-‬7

It doesn't matter what the situation might look like before us. It can seem like we are in danger of being completely destroyed, or we can look with eyes of faith toward God! When we fix our hearts on God, we won't be weak in facing our challenges. David realized that anything which could be used for evil against him was turned around for good because he was true to God. But yet, this doesn't mean David was perfect. As we discussed in our Zoom Ladies Meeting, every person in the Bible, besides Jesus Christ, had flaws. In this section, David goes to enemy territory for safety instead of trusting God in his homeland. God was still able to use David, but maybe he shouldn't have been in that place. Saul wanted that same peace & protection of God, but couldn't find it anywhere because the Spirit of God left him & went with David. We all make mistakes, but to truly have the most abundant life, we need to be true to God! We need to turn back if we have gone astray!

"And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him." 1 Samuel 27:3‭-‬4

David ended up going and hiding with the Philistines. Saul stopped pursuing him at that point, and obviously he was no longer being chased by the Philistines either! David did win some battles against other cities who were against Israel, and Achish gave him his own land to dwell in in Ziklag. This was an interesting plan, but eventually the Philistine army would end up fighting the Israelites...David's own people! Although David was always true to God, it seems as though he was a little outside of the plan here...but Saul was even more so! So much that he sought a witch to help him...

"And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." 1 Samuel 28:5‭-‬6

Saul was very troubled by the Philistines, especially this time. Saul knew David was there, and The Lord was not answering him. Saul was so desperate & sought a witch, a person who before was kicked out of the land by Saul. Now, Saul wanted her to help him...

"And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel." 1 Samuel 28:10‭-‬11

Saul sought the wrong kind of "spiritual" person here...God would not give him any favor for this of course. Saul wanted to see Samuel, a man of God, but Saul did not worry about being obedient when Samuel was alive, so this desperate act would not give Saul any favor with God...especially because he sought a witch! But God did use this situation to allow Samuel to give one final prophecy to "seal the fate" of Saul:

"And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord , nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines." 1 Samuel 28:17‭-‬19

God is always in control, no matter how far away we might seem. In both cases, we are shown that God will use certain situations, but we must be true to God and seek His perfect will if we want to be in God's favor. If we make mistakes, but we continue to seek God, he will help us through those things. But if we carelessly live our lives without giving thought to God or seeking Him for guidance, we will not win our battles against our enemies, or against ourselves. It will drive us to do things we never thought we would do. No matter where we are today, let's seek to be more set down the path of a righteous life with God!