FBC Morning Light(4/6/2024)

Good Saturday morning, people of faith. This weekend we have several different passages we're going to look at a little bit. We have 1 Samuel chapters 23 through 26, and then Psalm 4, Psalm 54, Psalm 57, Psalm 63, and then 1 Chronicles chapter 2.

And what I'm going to do is I'm just going to walk through some of the highlights of 1 Samuel chapters 23 through 26, and then look at Psalm 63. So starting in 1 Samuel chapter 23, we have the David and his mighty men are, they're not comfortable in Judah as they are being pursued by Saul, and so they are led of the Lord to go and protect the city of Keilah from the Philistines, and they go and do.

That.

And while they are there, Saul hears word of it and gathers the rest of the armies of Israel to attack Keilah and trap David. And David hears of this and escapes into the wilderness of En-Gedi, and in En-Gedi, I believe it's En-Gedi, he is hiding in a cave, and Saul goes in to that cave, all right?

And the people with David are trying to convince him, this is your opportunity. You kill Saul, and you're the king, this is what you should do. And it says, and David had cut off a corner of Saul's robe, and he said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord, all right?

And so Saul was able to escape because David would not do this wrong thing, all right? So going on to chapter 25, we have the death of Samuel, David and the wife of Nabal, Nabal was a foolish man, his name actually means fool, as we were taught on a Wednesday evening some months ago, and Nabal's wife eventually becomes David's wife.

And then in the wilderness of Ziph, Saul pursues David once again, and David is able to send out spies to find where Saul is encamped and where he's sleeping, and he is able to go in to the camp while everyone is asleep, and he had another opportunity, and he says basically the same thing again.

It says, then Abishai said to David, God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day, now therefore please let me strike him at once with the spear right to the earth, and I will not have to strike him a second time.

But David said to Abishai, do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? So once again, David spares Saul, all right? And so the saga will continue of this back and forth between David and Saul, and Saul pursuing David even though Saul admits that he has done evil to David while David has returned kindness to him.

And so let me read to you from Psalm 63, but before I do, let me make an analogy here. David has been pretty much guiltless before Saul. I have not yet been able to find anything in which scripture states that David wronged Saul, but Saul hated David with a burning red hot passion, and it did not seem to be for any reason at all.

And if you think about yourself and your situation, if you're anything like me, there's probably people that don't like you for no particular reason or no fault of your own. It could be a coworker, it could be your boss, it could be somebody that works for you, it could be a neighbor, it could be a friend or a former friend, it could be a family member, it could be a parent, a sibling, a child, a cousin, any of these things, and the attitude in which you respond to these types of attacks is very important for your walk with the Lord.

Let me read Psalm 63, O God, you are my God, early will I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary to see your power and your glory, because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.

Thus, I will bless you while I live, I will lift up my hands in your name, my soul shall be satisfied with the marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips. When I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches, because you have been my help, therefore in the shadow of your wings I will rejoice, my soul follows close behind you, your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth, they shall fall by the sword, they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God, everyone who swears by him shall glory, but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Let's pray. Lord, thank you for these words. Help us to not strike out in vengeance of our own against those who treat us wrongfully. But let us respond with your loving kindness, that we would trust in you, that we would walk with you, that we would seek you, that you would be the satisfaction to our souls.

Help us to do what is right, to love even when not loved, to care when even uncared for. It's in your son's name, Jesus we pray, amen. Have an excellent day, people of faith.