(Read 1 Samuel 27:5-12)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” Yesterday I told you that David got tired of life on the run and he made the decision to move into the land of his enemies, the Philistines. He befriended Achish, the king of Gath, and he and his 600 men moved into the royal city. However, it did not take long before David was uncomfortable with the arrangement. So one day he said to king Achish, “If it is alright with you, we would rather live in one of the country towns instead of here in the royal city.” Achish did not know David’s reason for asking, but he obliged and gave David and his men the town of Ziklag.
David and his men lived in Ziklag, among the Philistines, for about 16 months, during which they spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites—people who lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt. These were all hard-core enemies of Israel, so David had no problem fighting them. The Bible says that David did not leave one person alive in the villages he attacked and he instructed his men to take the sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, and clothing before returning home to see king Achish. “Where did you make your raid today?” The king would ask him. And David — knowing the Philistines were friends of the Geshurites, Girzites and Amalekites, but enemies of Israel — would reply, “Against the south of Judah, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites.” David was lying to the king, but since no one was left alive to come to Gath and tell where he really had been, David’s lies were going unchallenged. David continued this false life the entire time he was living among the Philistines. King Achish believed David and thought to himself, “By now the people of Israel must hate him bitterly. Now he will have to stay here and serve me forever!” So, on the one hand you have David who was living a lie before Achish, and on the other hand you have Achish who was helping David, but only with ulterior motives. This is clearly not a picture of God’s best, but it is the mess David got himself into by making a decision out of frustration. We will stop here for today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Decisions made in frustration often lead to poor results. Prior to moving to Gath David was walking with God and seeking to do His bidding. David was not perfect or flawless, but he was at least attempting to do what was right in God’s sight. However, once David allowed the frustration of being on the run to get to him, he made a critical mistake in deciding to move to Philistine. And to make matters worse, instead of admitting the mistake and moving back, he started to live a lie.
2. When you are out of place you will feel pressure to be someone you are not. Being in the right place is key to becoming the right person and doing the right things. When you are out of place, like David was, you will feel all sorts of pressure to do things you should not be doing. If this is you this morning, if you know you are out of place and the pressure is on you to be someone you know God did not call you to be, then simply repent and move. Don’t stay in the wrong place, when you know it’s the wrong place, because nothing good will come out of it.
3. Bad things happen when you are not true to yourself and who God made you to be. In a couple of chapters we will see David experience the worst tragedy of his life; a tragedy that could have been avoided had David been true to himself. David knew he was wrong when had to lie to king Achish every time he went out and came back. Don’t live a lie. Be true to yourself and to God. When you understand your God-given identity and you make every effort to walk therein, you will experience God’s best.
Closing Confession: Father, I know that decisions made in haste or those birthed out of frustration often lead to bad results. I declare, by faith, that I give my decisions the thoughtfulness and prayerfulness they deserve. I am led of You in all things and especially in major decisions. I don’t make major decisions without consulting with You. My decisions are birthed out of my prayer life and my relationship with You. I also submit myself to the process of mind-renewal. My mind is renewed through the digestion of Your Word. Your Word gets down in my heart and it frames my thinking. I see myself they way You see me. I establish my identity in You. When I found You I found my true-self. Whoever I was prior to coming to You, and whoever I thought I was going to be in life prior to being Born-Again, is subordinate to whom You have called and made me to be. When I look in the mirror I see the person You have called me to be. I know who I am, because I know whose I am, and I never succumb to any pressure to misrepresent myself in any way. I maintain my integrity concerning my identity. I don’t put myself in positions where I am going to feel pressure to be someone I am not. I don’t even open those doors. I keep myself in a position where I am free to be me — the ME You have called me to be — and I don’t accept any pressure to be anyone else. I am who You say that I am, I can and will do what You have called me to do, and I represent myself as Your child and ambassador every day of my life. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
