(Read 1 Samuel 27:1-4)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” In chapter 27 David got to the point where he was tired of running from Saul and tired of being chased all around Israel. In his tired state the Bible says that he kept thinking to himself, “Someday Saul is going to get me.” This does not sound like a person who is strong in faith. It does not sound like a person who is standing on the promise of God for divine protection. It does not even sound like the person who had the boldness to basically pronounce a curse on Saul for putting him through all he was going through. But David, at this point, was simply burned-out.
Life on the run had taken on a toll on him and he thought to himself, “The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me in Israelite territory, and I will finally be safe.” Let’s think about this for a moment. This is the same David who killed Goliath and who proudly and unashamedly pronounced the giant to be an “Uncircumcised Philistine.” With that statement David was acknowledging that the people of Philistine did not have a covenant with Jehovah. Not only that, but David had engaged in brutal mortal combat with the Philistines more times than he wanted to remember. The Philistines were the enemy, but David was willing to move his entire household into their land, because he was tired.
David took his 600 men and went over and joined Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath. David and his family, along with his men and their families, settled in Gath and built a relationship with the king. David brought his two wives along with him—Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow from Carmel. The Bible says that “word soon reached Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped hunting for him.” That seems like David wanted, but David’s life in Philistine turned out to be something I don’t believe he actually wanted. We will stop here for today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. You must make time for rest. Rest is spiritual. I personally know great men of God who have had periods in their lives where they wanted to give up on ministry and quit on their assignment, just because they were burned-out. Some have even gotten depressed, because of a lack of sufficient rest. We are not designed to live without rest. While I don’t religiously observe a Sabbath, I do ensure I get Sabbath rest. When you make time for a Sabbath rest you allow the Father to restore, revive, and rejuvenate you, so you can be ready for the next week. If you don’t rest, and you get the burnout stage, you will be of no use to God or anyone else.
2. Don’t make permanent decisions based on temporary feelings. David was at a low point when he chose to move to Philistine and he wound up living there for an extended period of time. David should not have made such an important decision when he was at a low point in his life. As for you, learn from David’s mistake and only make major decisions when you are in a state — mentally, physically, psychologically, spiritually — to do so. If not, you will make a poor decision and, like David, you will pay for it.
3. Sometimes getting what you say you want, is not what you want. David said he wanted to live in Philistine so Saul would stop hunting for him. Guess what? He got what he said he wanted, but this is one of those times when you wish God would have stepped in and kept him from getting what he said he wanted. David had some of the hardest times of his life during this period. Just remember that when you say you want something, but God steps in and gives you something else. Most of us can think of a time when we are thankful that we did not get what we SAID we wanted.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for blessing me to understand the importance of sufficient rest. I make time for a Sabbath rest every week. I know I need time to rest and I make sure I get it. When I sleep, You said in Your Word that You give Your beloved sweet sleep. I am Your beloved and I get both sweet sleep and precious rest. I labor to enter into Your rest and I cease from my own works. I get to the point where my mind is not racing, my heart is not overworking, and my soul is at peace. I come out of my time of rest rejuvenated, restored, revived and ready to face another day or another week. By getting sufficient rest I resist burnout. And Father, I never make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. I only make major decisions when my mind is alert, my body is awake, and my spirit is attuned to what You are leading me to do. This way I shield myself and my family from the consequences of poor decisions. And lastly Father, I thank You for often keeping me from making major mistakes. Sometimes I ask for things that You know will not be beneficial to me or my purpose, and I thank You for keeping me from receiving those things. I can recount many things that I asked for that I did not receive, and I am thankful for it, because those things were outside of Your will. So while I am thankful for You blessing me with all things, richly to enjoy, that line up with my purpose, I also thank You for keeping things from me — even things that I asked for — that will not be beneficial to my life’s assignment. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
