Happy Sabbath.
Question of the Day: Name one dear friend and state why you became friends.
This is a challenging lesson. Challenging because it is hard to understand the culture and the mentality that is partially described in this chapter.
Saul’s Growing Fear of David
18 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
I did find it interesting that the way it is written it sounds almost one sided to start.
We will continue to learn more about this relationship as we continue to study this story of David, but what do we already know about this relationship?
1. Right from the start this was such a special friendship that an oath was involved.
What else do we know?
Is it fair to say that Jonathan and David were brought together by God and their unlikely relationship was ordained by God and they both had the opportunity to minister to each other?
God brings friends into our lives to minister to us.
God asks us to be friends to people who need ministering to.
Friends are more than just a pleasure in life.
Friends are a way God reaches out to us.
Have you ever been through something challenging in your life and a friend came to your rescue or a friend helped through?
Have you ever realized that a friend was brought to you for a particular time in you life, for a particular reason?
Or have you ever known that God brought you into someone's life for a reason?
I remember a time when I was feeling friendless, and my dad suggested that perhaps if I spent sometime being a friend to those around me who needed a friend that God would provide just what I needed.
Are you a good friend?
Do you make the friendships in your life a priority?
Friends are so important we need to make room for them. We need to make nurturing our friendships a priority.
That isn't always easy.
What are some things that get in the way of good friendships?
Lack of time.
Selfishness
Hurt
Fear
My brother was telling me about a book that suggests that in marriage it isn't so much about being happy. Happiness isn't the goal. It should be about holiness. Holiness is something God wants to work with us on and marriage is one of the best ways for Him to do a mighty work in our lives.
Friendships are also a great avenue that God can work on our hearts. Why? Being a great friend requires humility, selflessness, sacrifice, and good friendships aren't always easy.
I want to challenge each of us to spend some time this next week putting some energy into the friendships you have, or into being a friend to someone who really needs a friend right now.
Take inventory of your friendships.
What do you need to do as a friend.
Have you let something get in the way?
Pray about it and then take action to strengthen or develop your friendships.
Continue reading...
5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang:
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.”
and David his tens of thousands.”
8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
What was the emotion that God Saul here?
"I'm jealous of your talent."
"I'm jealous of your hair."
"Wow I wish I could play like you do."
"Why are they getting all the glory when I did all the work."
Jealousy may seem little but what did it lead to here?
Continue reading...
10 The next day an evil[a] spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself,“I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.
Jealousy isn't something to take lightly. It is an emotion that should be surrendered to God the second you experience it.
What is the opposite of Jealousy?
What should or could Saul have felt?
What kept him from that?
Clue.... let's keep reading...
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
What? Saul was afraid of David? Wasn't he the one who just tried twice to pin David to the wall?
Isn't that the way it is?
Bullies, are the ones afraid not the bullied.
Are fear and Jealousy connected?
Do they contribute to each other?
Certainly both fear and jealousy get us in trouble.
Keep reading.....
17 Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!”
18 But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?” 19 So[b] when the time came for Merab, Saul’s daughter, to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.
20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal was in love with David, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased. 21 “I will give her to him,” he thought, “so that she may be a snare to him and so that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “Now you have a second opportunity to become my son-in-law.”
22 Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’”
23 They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
24 When Saul’s servants told him what David had said, 25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.’” Saul’s plan was to have David fall by the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the attendants told David these things, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. So before the allotted time elapsed,27 David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
30 The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul’s officers, and his name became well known.
What life application lesson do we take from this?
If you're asked to kill 100 people be sure to kill twice as many?
A dear wise friend told me last night, that perhaps the focus or the lesson here isn't so much with David but with Saul. She was right!
Saul, what was he doing?
What was he thinking?
1. Obviously pinning David to the wall didn't work, so I will send him out and let the Philistines do the dirty work. (FAIL)
He just came back stronger and more popular.
2. I will have him marry my daughter as a trap. She will be his downfall. She will be on my side. (FAIL) She loved him.
What drove Saul to all this? Jealousy, Fear?
There is one subtle yet FANTASTIC lesson to learn from David. David didn't let Saul devalue his own daughter. Just like Christ didn't let Satan devalue you.
David could have demanded that he had already paid the price by bringing the head of Goliath to the king. After all that is what Saul had promised right. Instead he not only went and brought back the price he brought back twice what was asked for.
Jesus could have saved us without coming to the world and becoming one of us. He could have but He loves us so much that he was willing to make sure there was no question for all eternity of the value he places on us.
Will you this week, surrender your fears and jealousies over to Christ. Let him take them and turn them into something beautiful instead of something destructive.
This week will you take sometime to nurture your friendships. Make a phone call, invite them out to lunch or dinner. Have them over to your home. Say you are sorry, or let them know how much you appreciate them. Treat them as the valued gift from God that they are.
This week will you reflect each day for a few moments on the great value God placed on you. Maybe listen to a song each day or read a passage of scripture or just remember His incredible gift!
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