I Samuel 29
Tuesday, 22nd August 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
In I Samuel, we saw the life of David, of Saul, of Samuel, and no matter how people behave, no matter how people act, God never gives up on His people. And when people are willing to let go and let God, then He will intervene. When we let go of what we cannot do, what we have to do, and by faith, let God come into our situation, then we can be set free. We the mindset of ‘must have’, we try to grab things and hold onto things of this world, but no one can be certain of the future. The farmer will never know how much harvest they will have, there are so many uncertainties, the weather, the pest, the land… nothing is a ‘must have’.
It’s the same in our relationship, we offer so much and we want to have something in return. Do not think we will not sin and we will not be weak. Even Moses, Elijah, Samuel will grow weaknesses. David went to the Philistines’ army, he forgot about his identity, but this is not the end, God has chosen David and He will be responsible until the end. V3 ‘Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek, and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel. And the lords of the Philistines passed in review by hundreds and by thousands, but David and his men passed in review at the rear with Achish. Then the princes of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.”’ What does God wants to talk to us in this scripture? What are we doing here in our cave? What are we doing in our self-pity and self-accusation?
When we forgot about our identity, God will move the earth to call us out! David was hiding with the Philistines, and God called him out through the enemy’s mouth! We are so easy to give up in our difficulties and our hardship, we want to live a life as the non-believers. David had that identity as the anointed one, but when he chose to hide, he didn’t treasure what God gave to him. We also lose our focus of God’s calling, what is our calling? To be the royal priest and the holy nation, we are the chosen ones, people will see it.
V4 ‘But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men?’ David tried to hide but his enemies could see him. When Jesus resurrected, He told Peter to shepherd His sheep, Jesus didn’t focus on Peter’s sins and faithlessness, but to restore Peter’s identity. We don’t know our identity, we don’t know what we are doing, we are blind, and God will wake us up.
V5-6 ‘Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? Then Achish called David and said to him, Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and you’re coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you.’ Ashish was a Philistine but he called David’s God as the Lord. Through Achish, God was talking to David and waking up David. What is God talking to us today? Why do we have sadness and anger, why are we troubled? Do we know who we are? Do we know who God created us to be?
Do not hide anymore, but let God be our God, stop hiding, live a life of influence, and live the life fish for people, as how God created us to be.