Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule:
1 Samuel 26-31
I believe verses 8-16 of chapter 26 is the climax of this entire story. Saul was sleeping inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground at his head. This was the spear that Saul had used to try to kill David and Jonathan. It was a type of scepter, a symbol of his royalty. Again, David’s men wanted to kill Saul. Abishai volunteered to run Saul through with his spear. But David would not allow it. David had learned his lesson about trusting God in difficult times.
David’s reply to Abishai summarizes the theme of the narrative in this part of 1 Samuel. Saul was the Lord’s anointed. No one could touch him and be guiltless. It was the Lord’s place to strike him. Either Saul would die of natural causes or he would die in battle. David would leave the vindication to God. He would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. David instructed his men to take only the water jug and Saul’s spear.
In a masterful act of chastisement, David called out to Abner to wake him and chide him for falling asleep instead of guarding his master. David was correct. Abner and his men deserved death for falling asleep on the watch. It was their job to secure the area for the king. Someone could come into the camp, just as David had done. But unlike David, they might have taken the life of Saul. To prove that he had been in the camp, David challenged Abner to find the king’s spear and the water jug that were near his head. May we all learn to trust the Lord with the leaders He places in our lives.
Prayer Requests:
Personal
- Lord, please help me to trust you with the leaders of our day like David trusted you regarding Saul.
- Lord, please help me to live my life with the same discipline that David modeled in this situation.
- Lord, please help me to demonstrate the same kind of leadership at FBC that David showed with his men in this story.
Political
- Representative Brandt Iden – District 061 – Kalamazoo
- Representative Larry Inman – District 104 – Williamsburg
- Senator Jeff Irwin – District 018 – Ann Arbor