Happy Tuesday. It is April 18, 2023. Ever wrestle with fear? We all will occasionally, but the question is, “What kind of decisions does it cause you to make in the midst of it?” Unfortunately, we often tend to make permanent decisions based on temporary setbacks. David wrestled too, but soon he would emerge as a leader, not a victim. Read on …
Today's Reading:
1 Samuel 20,21; Psalm 34; Matthew 5
Scripture
“David… was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath, so he pretended to be insane. While he was in their hands, he acted like a madman making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.” (1 Samuel 21:12)
Observation
David was being stalked by King Saul, so he defected to the Philistines’ side to avoid Saul’s murderous plan. However, when he arrived, the Philistines were suspicious and distrustful of David’s motives. Now, his life was in danger. The Scripture reveals that “David was very much afraid,” so he acted like a madman to try and avoid their wrath. Those deemed insane were considered harmless, so this act gave him time to escape to the hills. But in the next chapter, it would be there that David would begin building his army of mighty men.
Application
David wrestled with fear but didn’t give up; He pressed on with the plan of God, and soon, he would be leading his people as king of Israel. David was courageous, but courage is not defined as the absence of fear. It is pressing on in spite of it! Like David, there may be times that I might hide in a cave for a while, but I must emerge as the person God is calling me to be. The cave is not my permanent home. I cannot let temporary setbacks cause me to make a permanent decision, for in doing so, I would impede my life and settle for a lesser stake in the Kingdom.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I know that in Your humanity, You may have faced moments where You wrestled with fear. For example, in the garden of Gethsemane, in Luke 22:42, You said: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Facing the cross was a gargantuan assignment, but you pressed on for my sake and the sake of millions of others who would have faced a hopeless eternity. Thank you for pressing on; because of that, we can celebrate forgiveness, grace, and eternal life!
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