Day 158: 1 Samuel 27- Spiritual AMnesia

Then David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.” 2 So David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow. 4 And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him.
 
5 Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?” 6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and made raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old, as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt. 9 And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish. 10 When Achish asked, “Where have you made a raid today?” David would say, “Against the Negeb of Judah,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites,” or, “Against the Negeb of the Kenites.” 11 And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, “lest they should tell about us and say, ‘So David has done.’” Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines. 12 And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.”
 
Meditation
Have you forgotten God’s faithfulness? Do you remember how God has sustained, protected, and provided for you? Today’s reading is an unfortunate display of where we go when we have spiritual amnesia.
 
God is absent from this chapter, drowned out by human assessment and situational decision making. David has forgotten God’s promises and recent protection and thusly rejects God through seeking to escape danger by seeking sanctuary with his enemy.
 
Seeking refuge with the enemy leads to death and destruction and casualties will cascade through all of life. We may not run to our physical enemies but we anchor in the harbor of the enemy when we turn to things other than God to give us what only God can provide. Death and division come. David’s loyalty to the enemy, willing to fight for him (18:1-2), leads to destruction of whole tribes of people (8-12). David lived this way for almost a year and a half (7).
 
The remedy for forgetfulness is remembering. When fear and anxiety drive the Divine from our decisions we must stop and remember the faithfulness of God who has been faithful in the past and WILL keep His promises in the future! You can trust Him in the present.
 
Psalm 66 is a helpful corridor for remembering, reminding us we will one day look back on the struggles of our situation and see God’s faithful shepherding care. We can avoid the death and division if we trust Him today.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Are you forgetting to factor in God’s faithfulness into your decisions in the present, particularly in regards to how you handle your anxiety and fears?
 
-Take time to remember and reflect on God’s faithfulness to you- yesterday, last week, last year… Take a moment to write down several moments of God’s faithfulness to you and your family.
 
-How does remembering God’s faithfulness yesterday give you strength for today and hope for tomorrow? How can you keep momentum for your faith?
 
Key Verse
 7 And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.