BIAY - David on the Run
1 Samuel 23-25, Proverbs 28:1-14
Welcome to the Bible in a Year for 2025. Intro to this series and resource links available here, plus here’s how I’m approaching this year.
— Saul and David in the cave of En-Gedi by Willem de Poorter —
Scriptures for Today:
Reflection:
Inquiring of the Lord (23:1-13) - I love how David observes what’s happening around him with Israel’s opponents and Saul and inquires of God in order to discern what he should do. Whether or not my conversations with the Lord play out exactly as David’s do in this passage, I appreciate the example of seeking the Lord as I navigate the challenges and opportunities I am faced with.
Vulnerability, integrity, connection (24:1-4) - This is a lovely chapter. David and his men have the good fortune of hiding in the one among hundreds (thousands?) of small caves in this region that Saul chooses to walk into to use the restroom. The odds are so long on this coincidence, no wonder David’s men saw this as God delivering Saul into David’s hand. But David treats it as an opportunity to spare Saul, act with integrity toward the king, and establish connection through his upright choice (see the full chapter).
Abigail to the rescue (25:18) - Lord knows how Abigail ended up with him (arranged marriage, of course), but her husband Nabal is a piece of work. His disregard for custom and hospitality endanger his family and household, as well as himself. The sentence that sums up this vignette is found in verse 18: “Abigail acted quickly.” The very moment she heard about the problem, she knew what to do and sprang into action. Quick thinking and execution saved herself and her family and earns David’s admiration.
Questions:
How well do you remember to pray and inquire of the Lord with the decisions in your life?
When have you seen someone turn a moment for retribution into a moment for grace or mercy?
When have you experienced clarity about how to handle a crisis?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, grant me your wisdom and grace to read moments well and act according to your ways. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
If you liked this post from Seeds of Faith, why not share it and/or subscribe?
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™