RTW April 17
Waiting In The Wilderness
David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.
1 Samuel 23:14
My Takeaways
Something Old
Just as He was with David, we can trust that He is with us.
- God is in control, even when life seems out of control. Saul and his armies hunted David day and night. Their intel was reliable, and if God wanted David to be found and captured you can believe it would have happened, “… but God did not give David into his hands” (NIV) 1 Samuel 23:14
- God cares for us, even if we are far from our intended place. Exhausted and no doubt bewildered, God sent encouragement and confirmation to David via Jonathan, Saul’s son. “‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this’” (NIV) 1 Samuel 23:17
- God is always moving us toward our assignment, even if the way seems unlikely. David didn’t count on years of being on the run. Like David, we can trust God to be at work even in the moving and waiting. “And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi” (NIV) 1 Samuel 23:29
Something New
Something to Do
God is my protector.
God is my helper.
God is my advocate.
God is my rescuer.
God is Emmanuel.
God is my safety.
God is my refuge.
David faced his giant (enemy) with confidence.
I love that David married Abigail.
Jennifer, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! 1 Samuel 25:29
—“But God is my helper, the LORD keeps me alive.” (Ps 54:4) & “but God didn’t let Saul find him.” (1 Sam 23:14b)
My life and safety are in God’s hands, regardless of what He allows in my life. Rest in that.
—Thank God for Christian friends who encourage me in the Lord, as Jonathan did for David. Ask God to help me be that kind of friend. Is there someone in my life that might need encouragement today?
perfect
David was loyal to the Lord and to Saul as the leader that the Lord placed over him.
Saul was loyal to Saul.
Where is my loyalty?
Wendy, I loved your comparison story of how you got started! Yes God is in control!