TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-25
Be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. - 1 Samuel 12:24
TODAY IN THE WORD
It's a regular American custom that when a person is ready for retirement, friends throw a party. Often at this retirement party, in addition to the enjoyment of food and fellowship, the retiree is asked to speak a word: the “retirement speech.” Sometimes humorous or moving, most people who reach retirement reflect on the previous years that brought them to this point.

First Samuel 12 is something of a grand retirement party, with Samuel giving his retirement speech. But Samuel does more than reminisce; in fact, his speech worked like a three-part trial scene. First, Samuel presented himself, asking if anyone has grievances against his previous rule over the years. The people responded enthusiastically—Samuel was vindicated (vv. 1-5).

Next, God Himself took the stand, and Samuel rehearsed for the people the continued faithfulness of the Lord in delivering His people. Time and again, when the people cried out in repentance, God heard and delivered them from oppression. God had proven Himself faithful to His covenant with Israel (vv. 6-11).

Finally, Samuel turned to Israel. The message here, given both in word and in supernatural demonstration, is clear: their request for a king was nothing short of rejection of God's faithful rule over them. The people, rightly understanding their predicament, begged Samuel for his intercession (vv. 12-19).

Samuel's words emphasized the crucial point. If Israel would turn to serve the Lord, He would not reject them. Why? For the simple reason that the Lord had chosen His people as His own. His very name was stamped upon them, and He is a faithful God. How Israel will proceed with Samuel in retirement? Will it be obedience or disobedience; blessing or curse? All Israel needed to do is consider the long history of God's faithfulness to make their choice obvious. But it is one thing to see the choice clearly, another to make it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Israel, we are also faced with a choice: either to pursue our own selfish ends or to serve God in faithfulness. The right choice is clear, and the text also gives us help in making that choice: “Consider what great things He has done for you” (v. 24). Take time to meditate on a passage (like Psalm 105) that reflects on the gracious deeds of our God. Read it aloud or copy a few verses onto an index card to remind you of God's goodness. Then re-commit yourself to His service in response.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 13:1-22
The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people. - 1 Samuel 13:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Robert Frost's poem, “The Road Not Taken,” is a classic assertion of individualism and choice. The poem ends with the famous lines: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference.”

Yesterday's reading brought us to a similar crossroads. Would Israel choose obedience or disobedience? As in Frost's poem, that choice made all the difference; unfortunately for Saul, the difference was disastrous.

The chapter begins with the Philistines gathering their armies for a battle at Micmash. In turn, Saul summoned the Israelites for war, but he first had to wait for seven days for Samuel to come and make sacrifice. Saul waited, but then grew impatient and made the sacrifice himself.

Samuel interrupted the proceedings and demanded an explanation. From one perspective, Saul's response was quite reasonable: his army was scattering, the Philistines were preparing to attack, Samuel was late, and he needed the Lord's favor in battle. Samuel's reaction, however, makes it clear that Saul's excuses could not hide his direct disobedience to God's command (see 10:7-8). You cannot seek God's favor through an act of disobedience, and you cannot make things right through excuses.

Saul's disobedience had numerous consequences. He lost the kingdom. His troops were diminished, scattered, and without weapons. The Philistines raided Israelite camps. But do not miss the saddest loss: “Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin” (v. 15). The prophetic word of God through Samuel was taken away. Saul was left alone, not only with just a few soldiers, but without God's approval, blessing, and word.

But God does not give up on His people. He had rejected Saul, but not Israel. Instead, He had “sought out a man after His own heart” (v. 14) to lead the people. Though we and our leaders fail, ultimately, God's way prevails—and for our own good.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage reminds us that God really does care about our obedience—even in the seemingly small details. His command to love others includes loving a grouchy spouse or unkind neighbor. His demand for truthfulness encompasses even the “white lies.” No disobedience is minor or inconsequential. Read Proverbs 28:13 today, and spend time “confessing and renouncing” your sin before God. Then thank Him that in His grace and forgiveness He does not abandon those who turn to Him in humble confession.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 14:1-52
Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving. - 1 Samuel 14:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
A diptych is a traditional Christian art form in which two scenes are portrayed on separate wood panels, connected by a hinge in the middle. Sometimes these two scenes depict contrasting scenarios, one positive and one negative. Each can be instructive, one as an encouragement and the other as a warning.

Saul and Jonathan work like such a diptych in today's reading: two contrasting portraits of faith—one positive, one negative. First, Saul is a portrait of empty faith. After God used Jonathan to unsettle the Philistines, Saul prepared for battle, calling a priest to inquire of God. But halfway through the conversation, things got rowdy and Saul cut it short. The divine inquiry was only a show. Saul proceeded on his own course (vv. 16-23).

Then when victory seemed imminent, Saul made a vow, not of faithful sacrifice and praise to God, but a foolish one that jeopardized his son and distressed his army (vv. 24-30). Finally, because of Saul's vow, the starving army began unlawfully eating meat with blood in it (cf. Lev. 17:10-13). Saul seemed piously horrified that they have “broken faith” (v. 33), but a short time later, he was prepared to shed the innocent blood of his own son for the sake of his rash vow. He had a clear appearance of faith, but not much substance.

Jonathan, on the other hand, offers a positive portrait of faith. He knew what God can do and acted in faith upon that knowledge: “Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving” (v. 6). He did not dictate to God what should be done (note his use of “perhaps”), but neither did he sit back in cowardice. He took on a daring and risky venture, trusting that God can save. He allowed his faith to broaden his view to see beyond the visible. While things might have looked impossible, Jonathan knew that with God all things are possible. Without fanfare or presumption Jonathan quietly and confidently acted upon a faith rooted in a sure knowledge of God's power.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Reminding ourselves (sometimes visibly) what true faith looks like, especially in contrast to its opposite, is an important lesson from today's text. Try creating your own artistic “diptych of faith” using paint, colored pencils, pens, or even images from the Internet. Perhaps scenes from the Bible, or even certain people you know, inspire you with a portrait of true faith. Depict those scenes in a visible way and display them in a place you can return to in order to remind yourself of the kind of faith God calls us to.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 3:1-24
Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men. - Romans 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
In August 2007, the Australian government spent $89 million developing an Internet filter for parents to install that would prevent their children from viewing objectionable content online. Just a few days later, a teenager developed a code to bypass the filter. It took a single boy about a half an hour to virtually destroy what the government had planned for millions of homes.

Creating something meaningful requires intellect, design, and power—ruining it comes effortlessly. Today, we shift our focus from the perpetual bad boys—known for a lifestyle of sin and rebellion—to those individuals who achieved notoriety because of a single crucial mistake. Adam and Eve defined the category of destructive decisions. Their choice to disobey the one rule of the Garden of Eden brought sin and death upon all humanity.

On the surface, the downfall began with Eve's misunderstanding of God's Word (compare 2:17; 3:3). While this is an instructive lesson for us, looking deeper at Adam and Eve's decision reveals another principle. Judging by their actions, they lacked spiritual maturity, but their basic human desires were fully developed.

The more Eve looked at the fruit, the more her desires were stirred within her, both for the immediate pleasure of eating it and the desire to be like God. Being more like God wasn't inherently evil; the wickedness came in the approach that Adam and Eve chose. They disobeyed a direct command, they made a foolish choice on the advice of an animal, and they relied entirely on their own actions instead of asking God for help. That is the formula for making an ungodly mistake.

Adam's role in the sin is particularly troubling because, as Paul would later assert, Adam wasn't deceived at all (1 Tim. 2:14). He understood what God said, what the tree was, and what the consequences of his actions would be . . . and he did it anyway.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The bottom-line lesson to glean from Adam's sin is that humans need help. On our own, we who are made in the image of God still fall short of the glory of God. To obey, we need to remember His rules. To avoid foolish choices, we need His wisdom. And to be like Him, we need His personal and direct help. He speaks to us through His Word. He showed us the truth through His Son. And He helps us and indwells us through the Holy Spirit. Don't ignore His help!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 19:1-29
The men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. - Genesis 13:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
The three rules of real estate are location, location, location. Factors like the strength of the school system, the quality of the water, the level of crime, the overall feel of the neighborhood, and the values of surrounding properties all contribute to the full assessment of a location. And if any of those details are unsatisfactory, it's difficult to change them after you've made your choice.

When Lot made the infamous decision to settle in Sodom (see Genesis 13), he failed to factor in all the elements of a quality location from God's perspective, and he paid the consequences in today's reading. Actually, he had met trouble in Sodom before, when the city was conquered by foreign kings, only to be rescued by Abraham's heroics (Genesis 14). But Lot was insistent on his choice of residence, and his stubbornness was most pronounced on the eve of the city's destruction. His decision to live there and his unyielding commitment to stay secure a place for Lot on our list of bad-boy decision makers.

It didn't take long for the angels who came to Sodom to see firsthand the wickedness of the city. And Lot showed he was both offended by the immorality of the men of Sodom (v. 4) and conflicted by his desire to remain at peace with them. He used his own daughters as a bargaining chip for compromise (v. 5). Lot must have done an incredible amount of rationalization to remain so attached to a place that was so obviously and hopelessly corrupt.

Leaving proved difficult for everyone in Lot's family. He couldn't convince his daughters' fiancés of the gravity of the situation (v. 14), he hesitated to leave at all when destruction was imminent (v. 16), he was still negotiating his next real estate move on his way out the door (v. 20), and his wife made the most destructive decision of all by turning back to look on a city that didn't deserve a second glance (v. 26).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The things of this world have no eternal value, but we base many of our decisions on our material desires. If you want a litmus test for revealing an improper dependence on worldly things, moral compromise is a prime indicator. If you find yourself rationalizing away the convictions of the Holy Spirit, postpone whatever decision you're about to make and isolate the worldly object or ideal that is causing the conflict, be it riches, power, or pleasure. Now make the decision to pursue God instead.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 25:19-34
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. - Matthew 5:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Ted Turner and Time Warner thought they were getting stronger when they merged with AOL and yielded control to the Internet giant, but at least one of their competitors saw it as a sacrifice of the future of the company. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch said Time Warner “gave away their company for a mess of porridge, and they've got to live with that forever.” Not long after the merger, the dot-com bubble burst, and Murdoch's words proved prophetic.

Any combination of overvaluing what you don't have and under-appreciating what you're giving away will result in a bad deal. Esau joins the list of bad boys for his costly gut decision to trade his birthright for a bowl of stew, obviously a poor choice. The motivation behind his actions is a universal drive just as prevalent today, even among believers.

Esau had his character flaws; overthinking the situation was not one of them. Giving away his birthright hadn't crossed his mind before encountering Jacob. In fact, before coming inside from hunting, Esau had done nothing wrong. There was no spiritual lapse, no mental breakdown leading up to Esau's sin. He hunted, he got hungry, and he was looking for something to eat. Jacob seized the opportunity of Esau's weakness and proposed a deal that, had Esau thought about at all, he never would have accepted. The problem came in just one critical moment—Esau didn't think at all, allowing his immediate physical need to direct a decision that would affect the rest of his life and all of his descendants. He gave up his inheritance because he was hungry. Thoughts never entered the equation, as evidenced by Esau's reaction after losing out on his birthright: after he satisfied his hunger, Esau just “got up and left” (v. 34). The full weight of what he gave up didn't register with him at all.

Unfortunately for Esau, his thoughtlessness was not a momentary lapse; it was a way of life. He disregarded his birthright because it held value only in the future. Esau's concern was for the moment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Philosophies such as “live for the moment” and “live every moment as though it were your last” may sound appealing, but they put a foolish stress on immediate satisfaction with little regard for the long-term implications of our actions. Living for the moment causes us to make decisions based on physical urges. If you want to make better decisions, change your desires—ask God to give you a hunger for righteousness, and you'll base your decisions on eternal rewards.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 37:1-36
Do not hate your brother in your heart. - Leviticus 19:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
A 2002 study at Texas Tech University examined the development of jealousy in children. Infants as young as six months became visibly upset when seeing their mothers hold and caress a baby doll. Reactions ranged from mild disturbance to intense sadness or anger. The mothers would immediately set aside the dolls to comfort their children, but those brief reactions showed that jealousy for a parent's affection may begin very early in a child's life.

As life goes on, the propensity for jealousy grows stronger and stronger. Jacob's lavish affection toward his favorite son was a disservice to Joseph—his brothers hated him for it. Hearing Joseph's dreams of being bowed down to provoked their hatred into action. On the day they plotted to kill him, the mere sight of him approaching (arrayed in his robe and not helping them work) was enough to trigger their wrath (v. 18). They wanted to prove that his dreams were nothing but proud nonsense, when in fact they were prophetic (v. 20). Their jealous rage completely clouded their perception. Looking back at when Joseph told his family about his dream, even Jacob rebuked him—but he still considered the possibility that the dream was true (v. 11). His brothers, on the other hand, did more hating than thinking. Because they hated their brother so strongly, there was a fundamental disconnect between their hearts and the truth.

Only Reuben was sensible enough to consider retaining Joseph as a member of the family. And only Judah was rational enough to try to profit from the situation. The remaining brothers were convinced, but they were oblivious to the pain they would cause their father (or the divinely guided journey on which their brother would be embarking). Jealousy has a way of blinding people to the consequences of terrible decisions.

So Joseph was sold to a caravan of what were most likely his distant cousins, the grandchildren of their great-uncle Ishmael. Ironically, Joseph's great-grandmother's jealousy had cast Ishmael away from the family so long before.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jealousy is an irrational emotion that separates us from the truth. It is a sort of anti-desire. We see someone enjoying someone or something, and we want that person not to have it—we feel the urge to make the truth untrue. As Joseph's bad-boy brothers showed, that can lead to hatred, which can lead to very costly decisions. To override jealousy, we need to inject truth into our hearts. Memorize a passage about love (1 Cor. 13:4-8) and recall it whenever jealousy strikes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Joshua 7:1-26
But sin . . . produced in me every kind of covetous desire. - Romans 7:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1954, President Eisenhower gave voice to a pivotal part of U.S. foreign policy known as the “falling domino” principle. The concern was that if even a small country or remote island came under communist influence or Soviet rule, the spread of communism would continue, one country at a time, across the world like a string of falling tiles. The theory gave America incentive for involvement in altercations far from home, because the government believed no incident could be considered truly isolated.

That's the way today's reading directs us to view sin. There is no such thing as isolated disobedience. When Achan disobeyed God's command about people and items He claimed for Himself, that personal infraction had effects nationwide. It begins from the very first words of the first verse: “The Israelites acted unfaithfully.” One man's sin classified them all as unfaithful. And the Lord's anger didn't burn against Achan, it burned against all of Israel. Achan was the bad boy, but Israel bore the consequences as well.

The sin was so simple. He saw the valuables, he wanted them, and he took them (v. 21). He didn't misunderstand the rules. He knew what he did was wrong, and he hid everything in his tent.

We have seen that progression of behavior before: first a desire, then disobedience, and finally concealment. Adam and Eve did it. Cain did it. And now Achan. But in all these cases, the progression eventually led to death, discovery, and judgment.

Thirty-six soldiers died because of Achan's greed. It crippled the courage of Israel (v. 5). And just as God dealt His wrath to the people as a whole, He exposed the sin to everyone. After humiliating his family and his tribe, Achan confessed his sin. But he was not excused from punishment. He, his sons and daughters, and all his livestock were publicly stoned to death for his crime. All of those devastating consequences sprouted from a tiny seed of desire for something that was not his.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Greed manifests itself very early in life, as we can see in a small child clinging to a toy and yelling, “Mine!” Commit yourself to conquer greed by doing the opposite. When covetousness pops up in an advertisement or drives by in a convertible, tell yourself, “Not mine!” Then let go of the desire in your heart. You'll find it much easier to seek God's will and obey His commands when you stop longing for the things that your eyes and your flesh desire.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 20:1-42
Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and hesed, for they are from of old. - Psalm 25:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the online chat world, speed is key. For that reason, a whole new vocabulary of abbreviations has replaced traditional, “time-consuming” phrases. When something is funny, you LOL (laugh out loud); when you want to explain yourself modestly, you add IMHO (in my humble opinion); if you've left your computer momentarily, you say AFK (away from keyboard); and in the virtual world, you indicate your closest friends with BFF (best friends forever).

A cursory reading of 1 Samuel 20 might lead us to think that today's reading is all about David and Jonathan as BFF. David escaped Saul and ran to Jonathan; Jonathan defended David before his father Saul; and David and Jonathan had a moving display of friendship before they part.

While the theme of friendship is apparent, there's a deeper and more important theme of “covenant faithfulness.” The word covenant is used only once in the passage (v. 8 ), but the description of the relationship between David and Jonathan clearly echoes covenantal ideas (vv. 12-17, 30-31, 42; see 18:3-4). They bound themselves, before God, to care for one another and their future generations.

The other side of “covenant” is the word hesed. A Hebrew word often translated as “steadfast love,” “loving-kindness,” or simply “love,” hesed entails not just warm feelings but a loyal, devoted, and compassionate affection. It is far deeper than mere friendship. It is a kind of contractual disposition of faithfulness toward another. This is what David calls for when he says to Jonathan: “As for you, show hesed to your servant, for you have brought him into a covenant with you before the Lord” (v. 8 ).

Today's passage presents us not with a sentimental picture of David and Jonathan as best buds but with the image of covenant faithfulness. It is this covenant that gives David the confidence to seek solace from his enemy Saul by running to his enemy's son. What better place to go than to one who has pledged his hesed?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The covenantal hesed proclaimed here points us to another, stronger love: God's covenant faithfulness toward us. In fact, hesed is repeatedly used in Scripture to describe God's love for us, such as in Exodus 34:6: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God . . . abounding in hesed and faithfulness.” Consider your own and others' trials, sufferings, and persecutions, and then turn to the One who has declared His hesed to us, confident that “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 19:1-24
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. - Psalm 34:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1916, Ernest Shackleton and his fifty-six-man expedition to Antarctica encountered heavy pack ice, which crushed and sank their ship. Leaving his crew on an island, Shackleton and a small team traveled for help to a whaling station over 800 miles away. Four months later, through shifting icebergs, freezing temperatures, and with little food or sleep, the team arrived at the whaling station and got a rescue ship for his entire crew. In his diary, Shackleton recounted: “When I look back at those days, I have no doubt that divine providence guided us . . . it seemed to me often that we were not alone.”

When we read 1 Samuel 19, we should come to the same conclusion. In a chapter full of “hiding” (v. 2), “eluding” (v. 10), and “escaping” Saul's murderous plans (vv. 10-12, 17), David was not alone. God's guiding, protective hand is clear. In some ways, Saul had become another Goliath. Ignoring God's laws about shedding innocent blood (Deut. 19:10-13) and defying God in his actions and oath-breaking, Saul was obsessed with killing David.

Despite Saul's zealous intentions, David repeatedly escaped. First, Jonathan successfully (though temporarily) persuaded Saul of David's goodness (vv. 1-6). Then, after David's continued military success, Saul renewed his hatred, but David escaped yet again, this time with Michal's help (vv. 8-17). Finally, David escaped to Samuel. Saul heard of it and sent three separate groups of men to kill David. But each time, “the Spirit of God came upon Saul's men” (vv. 20-21). Instead of killing, they end up prophesying. In desperation, Saul went himself, but he too was taken by the Spirit, stripped of his kingly robe, and ended the chapter lying on the ground, prophesying day and night (vv. 22-24).

Today's reading is full of anxiety and danger for young David, but it is also full of evidence that God was with him, guiding him and protecting him from harm. All David needed was to look back on his own history to see the clear hand of God at work in his life.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Although we don't have the same kingly promises as David, we can still be confident of God's guiding, protective hand in our lives. As David wrote: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). Psalm 59 is also said to be written by David during this dangerous time. Read it today, and then make this prayer your own, singing with David: “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God” (Ps. 59:9-10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 21:1-15
In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? - Psalm 56:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2003, hiker Aron Ralston became trapped for six days in a remote canyon, his right arm pinned under a massive boulder. As food and water ran out, Ralston made the desperate choice to cut off his own arm with a pen knife in hopes of saving his life. Remarkably, it worked, and Ralston lives today to tell his story.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Such is the story of David in today's reading. On the run from Saul, David first stopped to see Ahimelech the priest. In need of food and weapons, David overtly lied to the priest that he was on a secret mission from the king. We don't know if Ahimelech believed David, but David did get what he needed: the sword of Goliath, and the sacred bread of the Presence, usually reserved for the priests (cf. Lev. 24:5-9).

Some might object that the untruthful David was undeserving of this special provision of bread. But David's request for provision should remind us of another request we are instructed to pray: “Give us today our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). Like David, we are also undeserving of God's provision, but that is the message of the gospel. We have a God who provides for His people—even when they don't deserve it.

In the next scene, one might wonder why David would appear in Goliath's home town with Goliath's old sword! But he did, which suggests just how desperate he must have been! Again, David used deception (feigning madness), and he barely escaped.

Perhaps it seems again that David's own cunning and deceit got him out of hot water, and that David did not deserve such deliverance. This is not the point in this passage, though, and in the psalms linked with this incident (Psalms 34 and 56), David gives us his own reflections. It was God alone who rescued Him, out of His mercy, and He deserves our praise. Faced with desperate times, these psalms of David remind us of our true refuge: “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Ps. 56:11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage might fill us with feelings of judgment, even resentment, that David “got away with” deceit. But it should highlight the grace and mercy of God in providing for His people, even when they don't deserve it. This message should move us to gratitude, and also compassion for those we might think are “undeserving” of God's love. Consider those in your life whom you have judged as deserving God's punishment; then pray for them that they might know God's liberating grace and mercy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 22:1-23
Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? - Psalm 2:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the natural world, an animal that feels endangered and trapped will often strike out and attack whatever threatens it. Even the most docile animal, if cornered, can become violent. Fear provokes hostility.

Saul was a man who knew fear. He knew that God had rejected him as king, that Jonathan had made a covenant with David, and that his kingdom was slipping out of his hands. And in that fear, he was driven to violence.

Today's passage is not an easy one. Doeg the Edomite (see 21:7) informed Saul that Ahimelech the priest had recently given David provisions and Goliath's sword. In his fury, Saul summoned the entire cadre of priests before him. Despite Ahimelech's reasonable defense, Saul ordered them all to death. Doeg the Edomite then willingly executed eighty-five priests, plus the entire town of Nob, including women, children, and cattle. Only Abiathar escaped.

This horrific slaughter was brought on by horrific fear. Yet, as terrifying as this slaughter was, it was also the fulfillment of God's word against Eli, some fifty years earlier (see 2:30-36). Even God's enemies carry forth God's will. It should point us to another brutal hostility—the cross—in which the enemies of God carried forth God's promises, this time for the purpose of redemption for the world (cf. Acts 2:23). This doesn't minimize the evil of Saul's massacre or Christ's death, but it does bring the hopeful realization that God's enemies, even in their most vengeful moments, are still subject to the redeeming work and plan of God. God's purposes will always be worked out.

Another pattern is apparent here as well. Abiathar's escape displays the way God so often works—preserving a remnant when His enemies try to wipe out His people. Moses was spared when Pharaoh ordered the murder of Israelite boys (Ex. 2:1-10). Joash avoided Athaliah's attempt to kill the royal family (2 Kings 11:1-3). Jesus escaped the murderous plot of king Herod (Matt. 2:13-15). God's enemies abound, but God's preserving mercy prevails.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's easy to look at the world we live in and see nothing but chaos, danger, and a powerful force of individuals and institutions arrayed against God. But today's text urges us to see with the eyes of faith; even in a fallen world, God is still King, and He still rules. Nowhere is this message more clearly expressed than in Psalm 2. Try memorizing some— or all—of this psalm as a way of “adjusting” your vision of faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 23:1-29
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Over the past ten years, Hua Huiqui, the Chinese pastor of a house church in Beijing, has been arrested several times and repeatedly harassed by the police who oppose Christian activity that is not sanctioned by the government. In October 2007, Hua was told that he could not leave his home, and officers welded his door shut. A week later, while being escorted to another police district, Hua was beaten unconscious by a mob. Even after his release from the hospital, Hua remains under house arrest, because he will not recant his faith.

As distressing as persecution of God's people is, it should come as no surprise (see John 15:20). God's enemies always hate God's people. In our reading today, David knew real hatred and violence from those who rejected God's rule. Saul had a laser-like focus to pursue David, wherever he might be found, and to kill him.

Note, though, the way God cared for David in this chapter. He did not remove the threat of Saul. The persecution and pursuit continues here and through the coming chapters. But God was clearly with David in the midst of persecution. First, after David's rescue of Keilah from the Philistines, David inquired of the Lord, who told him that Saul was coming and that the citizens of Keilah would be willing to hand him over to Saul. David exercised prudence and promptly left.

Next, while staying in the Desert of Ziph, Saul searched for David repeatedly, “but God did not give David into his hands” (v. 14). Moreover, God sent Jonathan to David who “helped him find strength in God” (v. 16). With a renewal of their covenant, Jonathan left David with encouragement.

Finally, while in the Desert of Maon, Saul was in pursuit, closing in on David and his men. Just then, a message came that the Philistines were raiding the land, and Saul cut off the chase. Saul never gave up his intent to kill David, but God never ceased protecting him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
This passage reminds us that God's people will always face opposition from the enemies of God's kingdom. The ministry of other believers can bring encouragement in the midst of suffering. Christians who suffer persecution and imprisonment around the world find great comfort in hearing from those who pray for them. One agency, The Voice of the Martyrs, works to deliver letters to such suffering Christians.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 24:1-22
May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. - 1 Samuel 24:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
The En-gedi region was an important oasis lying on the Dead Sea's western shore. Filled with spring water and caves, the En-gedi has been the location of a number of Jewish fortresses throughout history, including the one used by Jewish revolutionaries holding out against the Romans during the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 and 135.

David knew the benefits of the En-gedi. In fact, one of the region's many caves became a hide-out for his men. What David probably did not anticipate was the rare opportunity to dispose of his enemy in the dark recesses of that cave.

Yet David resisted the temptation to take Saul's life and the kingdom. He knew it was God's will that he would have the kingdom—but David also knew that God's purposes would be accomplished in God's way. He chose instead simply to cut a piece of Saul's robe. Note the reason David gave for his restraint: “for he is the Lord's anointed” (vv. 6, 10). If anyone deserved to be cut down, it was Saul. But David recognized that the disobedient and murderous Saul was still God's anointed one. David resisted the temptation to take what was his in a manner that would not honor God.

David not only resisted revenge, he also sought reconciliation with his enemy. Rather than remain safely hidden in the cave, David presented himself to Saul and his men in a gesture of reconciliation. The tenor of David's speech contained a balance of respect and rebuke, coupled with a submission to God's judgment.

Bowing down before him, David called Saul “My lord the king” (v. 8 ). He then made the case that he had never intended Saul any harm. He also rebuked Saul for “the wrongs you have done to me” (v. 12), and then cast the whole matter upon God: “May the Lord be our judge and decide between us” (v. 12, 15). This is a model for reconciliation: clear respect, gentle rebuke, and confidence in God's judgment. Ultimate reconciliation was never reached, but that didn't prevent David from trying.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Perhaps you have been seriously wronged by someone—a friend, a family member, a coworker. Take the message from today's reading and choose to resist the urge for revenge and to seek reconciliation instead. Using the pattern of Scripture, go to that person made in God's image, and seek reconciliation through a balance of respect and gentle rebuke. Pray for true reconciliation and leave the rest to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 25:1-44
Praise be to the Lord, who . . . has kept his servant from doing wrong. - 1 Samuel 25:39
TODAY IN THE WORD
One writer described our response to God's providence this way: “Trust in the providence of God is not a heaven-sent formula for the indolent, not a way of bypassing responsibility with regard to social and material concerns . . . you have to take on the affairs that come your way, knowing that they come from God and must be steered back again to him.”

Today's passage is yet another example of God's providential care for David, but this time God's protection has a twist. In previous chapters, God protected David from harm from the hand of others. In 1 Samuel 25, God protected David from doing harm to others. And in that preventive providence, David also responded in obedience and faith.

The story is well-known. David's men asked the fool Nabal for provisions. Nabal hurled insults, and David gathered his men for a vindictive slaughter. It all would have been over quickly if not for the intelligent and resourceful Abigail, who intervened with provisions and apologies. She convinced David to rethink the matter.

Abigail's speech to David is the theological crux of the text. While David was set on exacting his own revenge (see the contrast with David's action in chap. 24), Abigail's wisdom brought God back into the picture: “Since the Lord has kept you . . . from avenging yourself with your own hands, . . .” avoid “the staggering burden of needless bloodshed” (vv. 26-31, 34). In other words, think about what you're doing; this is not the way of God's anointed!

In God's providence, He sent Abigail to bring David to his senses, and even David realized the fact: “Praise be to the Lord, who . . . has kept His servant from doing wrong” (v. 39). David saw God's providential hand and responded with humility and gratitude for God's preventive care. In the end, Nabal's death still occurred, but by God's means, not by David's rage. Through God's restraining providence, David avoided the sin of needless bloodshed.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God's providential care works not only to protect us from harm, but also to protect us from sin. And Scripture reminds us today that we should be just as thankful for being kept from sinning as from being delivered from suffering. Spend time reflecting on the recent days and weeks. Where has God helped restrain you from disobedience? Have you always responded to His preventive providence? Give Him thanks now for His restraining care in your life, and seek His grace to respond well in those providential moments to come.