Day 2: Abide in Me
David said, “Lord, God of Israel... Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to [Saul]? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place (1 Samuel 23:10-13).
O Lord, our Father, You tell us quite candidly in Your word that we are not shielded from all the troubles of life. You have disclosed the truth about the difficult and often painful realities of life in a broken world, but You have told us these things so that in You we may have peace. You encourage us to take heart, and to trust You because You have overcome the world (John 16:33).
We often get things wrong, and we become disappointed, discouraged, and even angry when the help we expect does not come in the way, or at the time we expect it. But You never promised to keep us free from trouble— only to walk with us in the midst of trouble and to give us Your peace.
You teach us perseverance by providing as an example of patience in the face of suffering... the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord (James 5:10). You have given us one such example in David, who prayed, Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life... (Psalm 138:7).
David shows us how to depend on You, trusting Your guidance, constantly inquiring, "What does my Lord say?" He was fully assured that the Lord confides in those who fear Him (Psalm 25:14).
By inquiring he received the commission to go down to Keilah— to save Keilah, in spite of opposition from his men. By inquiring he learned that Keilah, his help notwithstanding, would betray him to Saul (1 Samuel 23:2, 4, 10-12). But by his example through all these difficulties, You show us the practical application of Your Word, Abide in Me... without Me You can do nothing (John 15:4, 5).
Abba, Father teach us to live a life of abiding trust, to never stop inquiring of the Lord; to follow Your guidance always. Give us the obedient faith of David— to go down when You tell us to go down, to fight when You tell us to fight, and to leave when You show us it is wise to do so (1 Samuel 23:1-14).
Give us the strength and the will to trust and obey You in all circumstances, confident that You are with us— in trouble and adversity, in opposition and resistance, in baseless accusations and unfair pursuit, in betrayal and ingratitude. May we be among the blessed who endure, who persevere and see the end intended by the Lord. Thank You that You are very compassionate and merciful (James 5:11).
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