Inquire of the LORD
How can we pray for you today?
“God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’” (Acts 13:22)
Today we learn from David, the man with a heart like God’s. That’s such high praise! A man like that is worth studying. Let’s examine a cross-section of David’s life and peel back the layers to try and get inside his mind.
A prophet of God tells David that he will be king. He becomes a heroic warrior and icon in Israel and earns the jealousy of the king who tries to kill him. By the time we get to 1 Samuel 23, David is on the run with a few hundred loyal warriors. He hears of the infamous Philistines who are attacking a fortified city in Israel. He wants to fight. What does he do?
David inquires of the LORD.
God answers with a green light and a “thumbs up” but David’s men are scared at even the thought of battle against the Philistine army, and rightfully so! The Israelites are renegades, few in number, hunted by their own people. So what does David do? Once again…
David inquires of the LORD.
God affirms to David that victory will be theirs. David rallies the troops and the battle is theirs. Saul hears of the battle and concludes that this is the perfect opportunity for an ambush. But David hears that Saul is coming. What does he do?
David inquires of the LORD.
God makes it clear that Saul is in fact coming to kill him. Will he be safe where he is? That would make sense. Of course, the town he just saved from being pillaged would defend him, right? But instead of trusting his intuition…
David inquires of the LORD.
God tells him that no, they will not protect him. The town will betray him and so he must flee into the wilderness. David is on the move, always hunted, always the prey. Could this be God’s will? David, the humble servant who has been anointed and set apart to be king one day, is running for his life, and this is after he has consulted God. It might seem like an unlikely path but David knew God’s heart. He spent time with Him, he asked Him and so who knew what he had to do.
God led David to difficult times. God may be leading you through difficult times too. If He is, talk to Him. Cultivate your relationship with God so that like David you will be a “man after the LORD’s heart”.
God, There are times when I don’t have a clue what You’re doing, or how this could be the right way. I want to know You so well that I do not question Your plans or Your authority. Speak to me and when I hear Your voice, let me be quick to respond. Amen.
Question: Do you know God well enough to trust Him when He asks you to take a risk?
Congratulations on 23 years of marriage, Bernard! You and your wife are a tremendous testimony to the power of the Lord’s goodness in marriage, and an inspiration to me! Thank you for sharing, and may God richly bless you both!
Thank you for that verse Brenda. “Great is thy faithfulness” was the theme for our wedding and we have now been married 23 years. Praise the Lord!
Bernard, I so agree that this is a wonderful devotional. I absolutely love how Eric keeps reiterating that David inquired of the Lord. Right now in my life, the Lord is leading me through the valley of grieving my mother’s passing, as she was called Home to be with the Lord on March 19. If not for the comfort of the the Holy Spirit, I do not like to think where I would be. He is truly a Wonderful Counsellor, and I praise God for calling me into deeper and deeper times of prayer with Him, and for all the mercy and compassion He is showing to me. Thank You, Lord, that Your mercies are fresh and new each morning!
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘Therefore I hope in Him [Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV]!”
Thank you so much for your comments, Bernard, and thank you, Eric, for a terrific devotional. You have truly blessed me!
This is such a good devotional and runs parallel to this morning’s message in church: The obedience of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his own son Isaac in Genesis 22. Thank you