Tues.’s Devo - Our Good Shepherd

Read: 1 Samuel 22:1-23:29; John 10:1-21; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 15:18-19 David escaped to the cave at Adullam where his brothers and relatives joined him with a whole group of others. They were men who were were in trouble, in debt or just not happy with Saul’s leadership. They totaled around 400 men. David went to the Moabites to ask them to let his parents seek refuge with them. The prophet Gad told David it was time to return to the land of Judah so David obeyed. Saul heard that David had returned and went on a tirade. He was surrounded by his army and asked them if David had promised them fields and vineyards or promotions or rewards. Then he accused them of fighting against him and not telling him of the pact between David and Jonathan. He accused Jonathan of telling David to kill him. (All of this was lies, but Saul had lost his sanity.) Doeg, which means “fearful,” stood up and confessed to seeing David at Nob. He saw the priest pray over David and give him food and Goliath’s sword. That is what fear will do. It will cause you to do anything to defend yourself. Saul sent for Ahimelech and all his family who served as priests in Nob and accused them of conspiring against him. Saul’s jealousy wouldn’t allow him to even hear the truth of what had really happened. When Saul ordered his army to kill the priests, no one would step up to shed innocent blood. Doeg stepped up because he had sold his soul to fear and now he was in over his head. He killed all 85 priests and their families - men, women, children and babies. I bet he didn’t sleep well that night! One of Ahimelech’s sons escaped and fled to David and told him everything that had happened. David told him to stay with him and he would protect him with his life. David heard that the Philistines were stealing the harvest from the people of Keilah and asked the Lord if he should go help them. His men didn’t want to go but the Lord told them that they should go and that they would prevail. David led his men and they did prevail. Saul found out where they were and came to Keilah. Keilah was a walled in city. David asked the Lord if the people of Keilah would give him over to Saul and God said they would, so David fled to the countryside. Jonathan found David and encouraged him. He told him that he knew David would become king and he wanted to serve under him. They renewed their covenant of friendship and love and parted for the last time. When Saul got to Ziph, the men of Ziph told Saul where David had fled. David had ran to a rock in the wilderness. Saul got so close, they were on the same mountain. God sent word to Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel so Saul had to hurry home and David was able to escape. He named the rock, The Rock of Escape. Jesus, is our Rock of Escape - our rock in our wilderness. In John, Jesus tells a parable about the sheepfold and those who sneak over the wall and those who enter through the gate. Saul would be an example of those who sneak over the wall and David would be an example of those who come through the gate. The true disciples are those who hear God’s voice and follow his leading. Jesus explained that he was the good shepherd who sacrifices his life for us. He won’t leave us when the wolf comes to attack us. He laid down his life for us on the cross because of his great love for us. Lord, thank you for your great love for us. You truly are the great shepherd of our soul.