September 7, 2022
Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. (1 Samuel 23:12-14) ESV.
Our Scripture message today shows David was in an awful position. He’d defected and saved the inhabitants of Keilah, defecting their enemy. He and his men had chased the Philistines out of the town. He’d put his own life and the lives of his men at risk. However, when he needed the men of Keilah to protect him, they were ready to hand him over to Saul. David must have felt betrayed and hurt when God revealed this to him. Again, we see that David does not depend on people. He doesn’t assume that the people of Keilah will come through for him; he turns to God to ask Him what to do. God doesn’t desert David; He tells him his life is in danger.
So David and his six hundred men fled into the wilderness, and when Saul arrived, David was long gone. 2 Samuel 22:31 (ESV) tells us, “This God — his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” There are lessons for us to learn from David’s experience. Have you ever been in a place where someone whom you have helped out has betrayed you? It’s a bitter pill to swallow. Our natural reaction is to feel hurt and rejected. We either want to retaliate, or we want to lash out and hurt the person back.
Friends, it comes down to this fact, we either believe God is in control of our lives or don’t believe it. This is the choice we have to make. If God is in control, we must trust Him to work things out for our good. No person can do anything to us that God cannot use for His Glory and Honor. May we not trust people; may we always trust in the Lord. Would you pray with me?
Dear Heavenly Father, You are the One I trust amid heartache and disappointment. I know that You are my shield. Nothing and no one can touch me as long as I stand firmly in Your Will for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Encouraging Words: Learning to live in God’s grip means learning God is with us at all times, and there is nowhere we will go where God is not with us.
God Bless you and have a Blessed Day, Friends <><
Thoughts by Randall Stapleton is a Daily Devotion brought to you by The Bridge - Learn more at https://wearethebridge.org
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