Where Do I Go When I Have A Need?

Synopsis     1Sam 21:4-11     10/15/2018

David went to Nob. There, he approached Ahimelech the priest. And he asked him for bread. Ahimelech replied that the only bread available was showbread that had been removed from before the Lord. Normally this bread could only be consumed by a priest. However, Ahimelech indicated that laymen could it eat if they had recently abstained from relationships with women.

Doeg the Edomite was at Nob. He was one of Saul’s servants. And while he was there, he observed David’s presence.

David also asked Abimelech if he had a weapon on hand. Abimelech indicated that Goliath’s spear was there. He offered it to David. And David accepted it.

David Went To The Tabernacle

It’s not clear that David had a plan. He escaped Saul. But the immediate challenge was where to go. He would not be safe anywhere in Israel. If he returned to Bethlehem, Saul’s men would track him down. Additionally, if David went home it might bring Saul’s retribution down on his father and brothers.

David went to Nob. Nob was near Jerusalem. But it was off the path Gibeah to David’s hometown of Bethlehem. And it was also off the route to Gath, David’s next destination.  So, why Nob? Why did David travel to the tabernacle?

Probably there are lots of possible answers. However, one of these is that David saw God as the ultimate source of provision. As an outcaste from Saul’s court, and an outlaw, there was basically no safe place in Israel. But the tabernacle would be safe. And, it was the perfect place to seek provisions.

Where Do I Go When I Have A Need?

Where do I go when I don’t know what to do? For me, the answer is too often – anywhere but God. Not that I rejected God. But if I have a problem, my first thought is to find a specialist who understands the problem and can fix it. So I call my accountant, or banker, or doctor, or therapist or business partner.

I have problems. But as has been said by many wise men, “every problem represents an opportunity”. And the greatest opportunity that any problem affords is the potential to know God more intimately. This problem that I probably never wanted and almost certainly never asked for is the thing that is designed to bring me closer to the God of all creation – if I let it.

Look for Him as the ultimate resource.

“But I, like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God, I trust in God’s mercy forever and ever.” Psalms 52:10

Destitution and Transition

Synopsis     1Sam 20:35-21:3     10/13/2018

Jonathan went out from the city on the third day. As planned, he arrived at the meeting place on time. And then, using the code they had previously agreed to, Jonathan alerted David to Saul’s intention to kill him.

Despite his intent to remain hidden, David approached Jonathan. They both affirmed their friendship. And Jonathan reminded David of the covenant between them – that Jonathan’s family would always be cared for by David.

David then departed and went into exile. He immediately went to Abimelech the priest at Nob. He went there in search of provisions.

David In Transition

David knew that things had changed. With Jonathan’s signal, it immediately became clear that little about his life would ever be the same. He would never again be a beloved general over King Saul’s army. And, he might never again see his wife. And, he would never be able to visit his friends. Nor could he ever visit his home and family. In fact, he could not even be seen amongst his people.

And he could not worship God at the tabernacle.

It was a moment of utter destitution. It was the bottom.

And so it was – a new beginning.

It was the transition to a new life.

Destitution and Transition

It doesn’t happen every day. But certain days have come in my life. And on those certain days, I came to understand that nothing would ever be the same again. In a moment, I suddenly realized that the things I had formally known would no longer be a part of my life. And what was to come next was not at all clear.

A transition had begun.

It was a challenge to meet. It was the feeling of grief over things lost. And it was the feeling of anxiety because of the uncertainty in the things to come. It was the feeling of wariness in a time when trusted relationships were either broken or betrayed.

And for me, it was the opportunity to trust in an ever deeper way. So there were tears and sadness and feelings of fear all mixed together. But despite all of this, there was the knowledge that God would see me through.

“For his anger lasts but a moment; his favor a lifetime. At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is rejoicing.” Psalms 30:6

Following Through Disappointment

Synopsis     1Sam 20:25-34     10/12/2018

King Saul sat at the new moon feast. Jonathan and other leaders from Saul’s court were with him at table. However, David was missing. Initially, Saul dismissed his absence. But when he was absent on the second night of the month, Saul became concerned.

So, he questioned Jonathan. He asked him if he knew why David was not there. But Jonathan was  testing his father. He and David had agreed on what to say. And so, Jonathan explained to his father that he had given David leave to return to Bethlehem for a family feast.

Saul reacted with irrational anger at Jonathan’s response. In the end, he revealed his intention to kill David. And so, Jonathan left the meal enraged at his father’s faithlessness.

Saul Devastates Jonathan

Jonathan felt devastated. His father was Saul, king of Israel. And Saul was determined to kill David, Jonathan’s best and closest friend.

Jonathan felt grief because he knew there would be no changing Saul’s mind this time. And he felt frustrated because it made no sense. He knew his father was being led by irrational emotions. And he felt powerless, because he knew there was nothing he could do to  change things.

Yet, Jonathan remained faithful to both Saul and David. He kept following God despite his failed expectations.

Following Through Disappointment

Disappointment is unavoidable. It is a fact of life.

I feel disappointment because I have formed expectations. These are the “what should be” things in my mind – in my life. And it’s these expectations of how things should be that can fail. What’s more, that failure brings the feeling of disappointment and an accompanying emotional sadness.

Some expectations are completely legitimate. When someone voluntarily or contractually makes a promise, it’s reasonable to expect that they will do what they promised. But sometimes my expectations aren’t valid. Sometimes I just expect others to behave in a way that suits me.

But in either case, my response to disappointments is one of the key indicators of my growth in this life.

Risk is inherent and unavoidable. And, sometimes I’m disappointed. But, I can’t stop taking risks and still live a productive, meaningful and faithful life. So, don’t let the disappointments of life keep you from taking risks.

The righteous cry out, the LORD hears and he rescues them from all their afflictions. Psalm 34:18

In Memory: Connie June Patton 10/22/38-10/8/2018

Intimacy and Secrecy

 

Synopsis     1Sam 20:13-24     10/11/2018

David and Jonathan discussed a simple test to determine whether or not Saul was definitively trying to kill David. So, the test involved David deliberately missing an important feast at the king’s table. And, they both agreed that if Saul was irrationally irritated at David’s absence, this was evidence of his ill will toward David.

Then, Jonathan made David vow to never disown Jonathan, his family, or any of his descendants. It’s clear that Jonathan wanted David’s assurance that his family would thrive, even if he did not live into old age. David readily agreed.

After that, Jonathan made a secret code that he told to David. Then, Jonathan promised to communicate the outcome of his test using this code. As a result, David looked forward to knowing for certain if Saul intended to kill him.

The Friendship of Jonathan and David

So, Jonathan and David were friends. And there was no good thing that Jonathan would not do for a friend.

But this was no ordinary situation. For Jonathan was pitted between two critical relationships. On the one hand, Saul was king. What’s more, Saul was ordained by God to this appointed position. And, he was anointed by Samuel to this vocation. Both Jonathan and David feared the Lord. Neither would conspire against His chosen king.

On the other, it was his dear friend David. And Jonathan loved David. And Jonathan could see that God had also anointed David’s life.

What’s remarkable in the common run of ancient literature is the lack of intrigue. All the evidence points to David really wanting reconciliation with Saul. Clearly, David wanted to remain in the service of the king. David was loyal. And Jonathan also wanted David to remain in his father’s service. There was no hint of Machiavellian intrigue. There was no plotting or conspiring. So it was –  a pure yet tragic friendship.

Intimacy and Secrecy

Best friends trust each other with the most sensitive kinds of information. A secret doesn’t necessarily mean there is some evil thing to hide. Still, the reality of most people’s experience is that self-revealing is uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. So when a friend share’s something they would not share with the larger community, the secret protects that intimate disclosure.

This is why a true friend has the ability to keep a secret. Friendship is about acceptance and love. This means accepting the other as they are – as they have revealed themselves. And it means wanting and working for the best for that other person.

“A friend is a friend at all times, and a brother is born for the time of adversity” Prov 17:17

Truth, Life and Death

Synopsis     1Sam 20:3-12     10/8/2018

Saul was trying to kill David. So, David ran from him. Then David went to Jonathan. And he informed him of Saul’s efforts to kill him. At first, Jonathan couldn’t believe that Saul would try to kill David again.

Still, Jonathan agreed to seek out Saul’s intent by testing him. He and David contrived a plan where David would go missing. They agreed that, if Saul became angry at David’s absence, then his intent was to kill David.

They also agreed to meet in the open field at a certain time of the day. At the appointed time, Jonathan promised to inform David or what he had discovered.

Truth Seeking

David wasn’t under any illusions. He knew that Saul was trying to kill him. But what he didn’t understand was why. He wanted to understand what he could do to be reconciled.

Jonathan was incredulous at the news. He couldn’t believe that Saul had once again determined to kill David. And it was especially hard to believe because Saul consulted Jonathan on every issue concerning the kingdom.

So the two friends were at a stalemate. They needed to discover the truth so they could take coherent action to protect David.

Truth, Life and Death

When the stakes are low, it’s easy to hold all sorts of different beliefs. But when the stakes are life or death, then I have to know the truth in order to respond.

But truth comes to me through a multiplicity of witnesses. Therefore, when the stakes are life and death, then I need other people. I need a multiplicity of witnesses. No mere opinion matters. Nothing else will do.

“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

Living In The Light Of Christ

Synopsis     1Sam 19:19-20:2     10/8/2018

Saul sent men to apprehend David. He intended to arrest David and then execute him.

But David was with Samuel in Naioth of Ramah. So, whenever Saul sent messengers to arrest David, a prophetic spirit from God descended on them. And so, they began to prophecy. And in this ecstasy, they could not bring themselves to arrest David.

Eventually, Saul went personally to execute David. However, the prophetic spirit of God descended on him as well. As a result, he ended up abasing himself in Samuel’s presence. As he lay prostrate before Samuel, David made his escape.

David went to Jonathan and told him what had happened. But Jonathan was surprised by the news.

The Spirit of Prophesy

The prophetic spirit that descended on Saul and his messengers wasn’t about fortune telling or predicting the future. Instead, the spirit was manifest in an awareness of the holy. Saul and his men became aware of the purposes of God –  and the holiness of God.

And in that awareness, they could not execute David. More generally, in the state of prophetic spirit, they could not work against God’s purposes.

Living In the Light of Christ

“and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1Cor 2:8

The scripture tells us that if Jesus’ peers had recognized Him as God, they would not have killed him. This is a strange claim. On the one hand, it is painfully obvious – no one would attempt to kill the creator, sustainer and judge of the universe.

On the other hand, how is it possible to misidentify the God of all creation?

The prophetic spirit of God is reserved for those who stare intently into the depths of God. It is the purview of those who deliberately focus their attention on Jesus.

Because to really see God and what he is doing in the world invariably leads to the desire to agree with Him.

“while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2

Faithfulness is a Provocation to the Anxious

Synopsis     1Sam 19:8-18     10/6/2018

David had become the leading general in Saul’s army. As additional wars broke out against the Philistines, David was increasingly successful. So much so, that the Philistines began fleeing whenever David and his forces would engage.

David’s success tormented Saul. So, once again the evil spirit came upon him. And once again, the dutiful David played the harp to assuage Saul’s torment. But Saul had determined that his only real hope for relief from his anxiety was to kill David.

Saul attempted to kill David with a spear as David played his harp. He then plotted to kill David with the help of his servants. But Michal found out about the plot. So she helped David escape by lowering him from a window out of their house. She also staged a household idol in David’s bed. And then she reported that he was sick. This gave David time to make good his escape.

Saul questioned Michal crossly. But David was able to flee. And so, he went to get counsel and protection from Samuel.

The Irony of David’s Faithfulness

The irony of David’s faithfulness is Saul’s revulsion and hatred for him. If David had been devious or faithless, it would have been easier for Saul to deal with him. But David’s goodness was actually a goad that provoked Saul to objectify David. And once Saul objectified him, he began to hate him.

David’s circumstances were such that he couldn’t be anything but faithful. He had learned to trust God intuitively. He had a relationship with God that he would not jeopardize for anything. But this meant that David had to come to terms with the fact that the more faithful he was, the more trouble he found.

Faithfulness Is A Provocation To The Anxious

When I encounter a faithful person, I celebrate the good I see in them. I celebrate what God is doing through them.

That is, of course, unless their faithfulness somehow highlights my own failures. Then, all of the sudden, I become aware that I have made poor choices. Not only that, but I come to the awareness that I didn’t have to make those poor choices.

In a room full of people who have all committed the same moral failure, there is nothing exceptional about my moral failure. By definition, it’s common to everyone in the room. Still, it is a failure of the natural moral law. So, though I remain sub-consciously aware of the failure, I have the ability to repress my conscious awareness of the guilt feelings. I justify my own moral failures by identifying the moral failures of others.

But let a faithful man enter the room and things change. The presence of a person who has been tempted but not succumbed to my moral failure forces a reaction. I either have to acknowledge my guilt and deal with my shame. Or, I have to get away from the person whose presence pricks my conscience. No one can remain in that tension indefinitely.

So I tell myself, “Embrace this righteousness. Confess your sin and reconcile with God and man.” Because, in the end, there is no getting away forever. There is no escaping an encounter with Jesus Christ.

“but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,” Eph 5:13

Walk With The Wise

Synopsis     1Sam 18:28-19:7     10/5/2018

Saul realized that God was with David in a special way. Saul’s children cared greatly for David. Jonathan admired and cherished him. And Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him and chose to become his wife. What’s more, David succeeded against the Philistines more than any of Saul’s other officers.

So, Saul felt afraid that he might lose everything to David. Shockingly, he eventually spoke openly with Jonathan and his servants about killing David.

Jonathan warned David about the danger. And then, he then spoke with Saul. With wise counsel he persuaded Saul that David wasn’t a threat. Also, he reminded Saul that things were going better for Israel with David in Saul’s service. Finally, he warned Saul against the bloodguilt of committing a murder.

Saul Driven By Anxiety

Saul was afraid. Not just a little afraid, Saul was desperately afraid. He felt this fear because he allowed his imagination to drive his thoughts. He lived constantly thinking about a future where he was not esteemed. And, he lived thinking about a future where he was no longer king. All of this made it seem like his life was insignificant in the light of the accomplishments of others – especially David. And he associated these feelings with David’s emergence onto the scene.

Jonathan had the ability to help Saul come back to the present moment. He was able to help his father see the reality that David was not a threat. And he made it clear that David was actually enhancing King Saul’s reign. In the light of this truth, Saul became temporarily free of his anxiety. And so, in that moment, he made a better decision.

Walk With The Wise

I need other people to help give perspective.

Sometimes things seem to happen so fast in life. And if those things are deeply emotional, the speed of life tends to become disorienting. It’s easy to get trapped in patterns of thought that distort reality. The emotional weight I feel in response to certain events can outsize their real importance. And it doesn’t seem to take much time before these kinds of thought patterns become entrenched habits that are neither helpful or healthy.

The company I keep in such moments makes all the difference.

Time with a foolish person will tend to focus my attention on other people as the cause of my emotional distress. This has the tendency of trapping me in either “past thinking” where I ruminate on the offenses of others. Or, it will tend to trap me in worthless imagining about the future. These kinds of thinking bring feelings of anxiety.

Accordingly, the advice of fools will focus on “fixing” the other. Such advice will be to “teach the other a lesson”. Or, it will focus on eliminating the other. (Unlike Saul, I don’t necessarily have to kill anyone. I can just “unfriend” them.)

Wise counselors remind me that there is a good God who is sovereign in all circumstances. And that He loves me. And that he has a plan for me. The wise man trusts that “all things” really do work together for good and communicates this truth into my life.

And, like Saul, when I’m brought back to reality, the hope is that I’ll have the freedom to let others be who they are. And then, like my Father-Creator, I can love them where they are.

“Walk with the wise and you become wise, but the companion of fools fares badly.” Prov 13:20

The Challenge of Potential

Synopsis     1Sam 18:16-27     10/4/2018

King Saul had two daughters, Merab and Michal. Saul had offered for David to become his son-in-law. But David was reluctant to marry King Saul’s daughter. He did not consider himself worthy. And, he did not have the resources necessary to pay for a king’s daughter dowry. So, Merab married another.

But Michal was in love with David. And so Saul offered a second time for David to become his son-in-law. But this time, Saul recognized that he could use the circumstances to his advantage. Instead of asking for money, he asked David to slay one hundred Philistine men. Saul’s hope was that David might be killed by the Philistines.

But David took up the challenge. He slew two hundred men. This was twice the number required. And so Saul gave Michal to David as his wife.

Meeting the Challenge

David met the challenge. Saul required David to slay one hundred men in order to earn the right to marry Michal. David responded to the challenge by killing two hundred men from the dreaded, evil empire.

The Challenge of Potential 

Every moment is pregnant with potential. In every circumstance, there is always some response that, if taken, would optimize what could be.

And I can learn to live my life in this awareness. I can learn to see the possibility vested in every encounter.

This is what I was made for.

“until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ” Eph 4:13

Value For Me, Value For Its Own Sake

Synopsis     1Sam 18:4-15     10/3/2018

After defeating Goliath, David spoke with King Saul. After they were finished, he met Jonathan. Although he was also a courageous warrior, Jonathan marveled at David. He spontaneously gave David his military dress and equipment. And Saul put David in charge of the soldiers.

Israelites from all over celebrated the victory. They danced and sang. They sang songs of praise for both Saul and David. But Saul became resentful at the way the people praised David.

Once they had returned to Saul’s home, David took up the harp as he had previously done. But Saul was overcome with jealousy and tried to kill David with a spear.

In the end, Saul sent David out to lead military campaigns. But David was so successful that Saul began to fear him.

The Royal Responses to Value

Jonathan gave David the royal clothes off his back. It was a show of deference. It was an intuitive response to the value that he saw manifest in David’s courageous act.

Saul responded to the value he experienced differently. Initially Saul rejoiced at the victory. But soon enough he became jealous of David and fearful that his rule was in peril. His response to value was conditioned by what was in it for him.

Value For Me, Value For Its Own Sake

The easy way is to interpret value on the basis of how something serves me. If the taste is pleasant, or if it makes me feel comfortable, then it’s valuable. If it’s unpleasant or uncomfortable, then it’s not valuable. It’s simple.

But as we grow toward maturity, our awareness of value must also mature. And so, we come to appreciate goodness in a way that transcends pleasure and comfort.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” More than a call to action, this is a call to rightly experience value.

When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:39