January 18, 2023

Passage Read: 1 Samuel 29 - 2 Samuel 1
Meditation Verse: 1 Samuel 30:8

Thought

This was a tragedy, especially before they knew they would recover everything. Their city was burned and all their people and goods were plundered. But the Lord promised they would overtake and defeat the Amalekites that had done this. It was a horrible thing to have happen, but it also kept David from sneaking back to join the battle between the Philistines and Israel. David might have helped Saul defeat the Philistines. He might have been able to help save Saul's life and the life of his sons. But the Lord had determined to remove Saul and his oldest three sons, and He intended to keep David from the battle.

Application

It was a painful distraction, but all the families and goods of David and his men were restored. They even gained extra. But their home was still burned, and now Saul and, harder for David, Jonathan were dead. The Lord will use hard things to distract me from messing up His other plans. He is Lord of all. Yet some of His other plans may still be hard to receive. Still, I need to trust that He knows best. Only let me walk faithfully in His ways, so that I can know these kinds of circumstances are His plans (not consequences for bad choices) to keep me from interfering even with the loss of someone dear to me.