April 18th~Angels of God

1 Samuel 26:1-27:7

1 Chronicles 12:1-7


1 Samuel 27:8-29:11

1 Chronicles 12:19

Psalm 56

David continued to avoid King Saul. Though he tried to express his innocence, the King wished to rid himself of this pesky pest. However, God gave David a second chance to kill Saul, but Da- vid went against the advice of his men, did the right thing, and spared Saul’s life. “Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday,” he said, “or he will die in battle or of old age. But the Lord forbid it that I should kill the one He has anointed” (26:10). Even though Saul seemed genuine in his promise not to seek David’s life, David took his family and followers and defected to the land of the Philistines for a short time. Ironically, he and his camp would find rest and safety there, until God revealed His plan for Israel and King Saul.

Meanwhile, the Philistines and Israelites went to war again, which gave Saul a great deal of anxiety. To alleviate his fears, he sought the Lord, but did not get a response. Thus, he pursued a medium in order to talk to Samuel the prophet. However, what he heard from Samuel was not helpful at all. In fact, the news Samuel shared was even worse, for Saul and his sons would be killed in battle and join Samuel in the land of the dead.

Throughout this account of the strife between David and Saul, I’ve been impressed with David’s conscience, the fact that he sought the will of God as often as he could and desired to do the right thing. In the case where he had the chance to take Saul’s life himself, he left judgment in the hands of God. Then, when living among the Philistines, David displayed commendable character. King Achish even commented on his exemplary behavior, when he said, “I swear by the Lord, you are some of the finest men I’ve ever met. As far as I’m concerned, you’re as perfect as an angel of God” (29:6, 9).

Daily Reflection

The compliment from Achish was not the first time someone noticed David’s conduct. Remember Abigail said this to him, “The Lord will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting His battles and you have not done wrong throughout your entire life” (25:28). But, before we get too high on David, let’s remind ourselves that he was only a man, a fallen man. While he had a heart for the Lord, he had made many mistakes already. Even though these are lofty compliments, David was not perfect.

Still, there is an example to emulate here. How would you describe your reputation outside of your Christian circle? Are you in good standing with unbelievers? Do you have a good name?

What is important about displaying godly character and conduct around unbelievers?

Would the unsaved world observe your righteous behavior and be drawn to the Lord as a result? Are you “an angel of God,” a testimony of what Christ can do in someone’s life? Your actions among the “Philistines” could have a tremendous impact for the Lord.

BiAY.org | Day 108 — 257 Days to Go