Scripture: “There once was a man who lived in Ramathaim. He was descended from the old Zuph family in the Ephraim hills. His name was Elkanah. (He was connected with the Zuphs from Ephraim through his father Jeroham, his grandfather Elihu, and his great-grandfather Tohu.) He had two wives. The first was Hannah; the second
The Philistines declared war against Israel. During this time, David was living in the Philistine country under Achish, king of Gath. Achish planned on David going into this battle as his personal bodyguard. However, the Philistine officers would not allow it. David tried again, but he wasn’t allowed to go fight on behalf of the Philistines. Interestingly, Saul and his sons were killed in this battle with the Philistines. Unbeknown to the Philistines, David had previously been anointed as the next king of Israel by Samuel, the prophet. David would fight in many battles during his life, but God shielded him from this one. Even though he and his men had been on the run from king Saul, Ziklag would not be their permanent home…
Scripture: “So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, ‘Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you
Have you ever wanted something so much that you would do anything to get it? We probably have memories as a kid emptying our piggy bank to go buy the new toy we couldn’t live without. That human desire for what we want never goes away. The Israelites wanted a king. We want success, recognition, or a family. While none of those things are bad in themselves, circumventing God’s will, timing, and method by going our own direction will make all our accomplishments and striving feel empty…
God may not always deliver us from the battles we face, but He always equips us to walk through them. You may be facing a battle that has created anxiety and fear in your heart. Instead of worrying and letting it steal your peace, sleep, and joy, ask God to help you. God starts working in response to our prayers. Isn’t it just like God to show up in an unexpected way?