Fri.’s Devo - David’s Trials

Read: 1 Sam. 25-27
The last judge, Samuel has died. Samuel was also a prophet who was much loved by the people. After mourning his death, David went down to the wilderness. He needed food for his men so he asked a very rich man named Nabal to help him out. Nabal could afford to feed David’s whole army and God would have blessed him even more. Instead, Nabal was greedy and refused to help David and his men. If you are not generous when you have nothing, you will not be generous when you have much. David was about to seek revenge when Abigail stopped him. It is not our place to get revenge, it is the Lord’s. “Abigail” means “father of joy”. David had lost his and so had Nabal. Abigail brought peace to the situation and God stepped in and brought retribution on Nabal and rewarded Abigail with a new husband. I can’t help but think that Abigail’s act influenced David’s next encounter with Saul. Once again, Saul is put in David’s hand to kill and he doesn’t. He wants God to give him the kingdom in the His timing, His way.
Everything David encountered was a test to get him ready to be a king. God was trying his heart to see what was in it. If we would look at our trials that way, it would make them seem beneficial instead of a pain.
David left his encounter with Saul and went to dwell with the Philistines. They gave him the city of Ziklag to live in. “Ziklag” means “enveloped in grief”. There he lived in the midst of his enemies wondering if the words of a dead prophet would ever come to fruition. But, David continued to fight his enemies. He would go on stealth missions and kill the enemies’ cities and not leave anyone alive to tell it was him who had attacked. When the Philistines asked him what he did that day he would lie and tell them he went somewhere else. God kept his secret safe.
Lord, thank you for David’s example. He had a destiny that only You could bring about and You did. We also have a destiny that only You can bring about so we wait upon You.