Day3
Week1
2 Samuel
”On the third day, a man came from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt upon his head. As he approached David, he fell to the ground prostrate. David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He responded, “I fled from the camp of Israel.” David said to him, “Tell me, what is the report?” So he reported, “The people fled from battle. Many of the people have fallen and died; even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.” Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” The young man who was reporting to him answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when, in front of me, Saul was leaning on his spear with the chariots and horsemen drawing close. When he turned around, he noticed me. He summoned me, and I responded, ‘Here I am.’ “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “I answered, ‘I am an Amalekite.’“
2 Samuel 1:2-8 MEV
Cross references
1 Samuel 4:12;
2 Samuel 4:10;
Joshua 7:6;
1 Samuel 4:16;
1 Samuel 28:4;
1 Samuel 30:13, 17
Insult to Injury
Imagine how David must have felt in this moment.
He had just returned to a desolate home in ruins after rescuing and avenging his family, followers and their families from the Amalekites only to hear of not only King Saul’s murder, but his beloved “brother” Jonathan’s as well. To add insult to injury, the delivery boy was an Amalekite!
Have you ever received bad news on top of bad news?
The Amalekite mess was a direct result of King Saul’s disobedience and continued to reap havoc long after his death. (1 Samuel 15).
Do you think that David, after all he had been through, would be pretty good at spotting an opportunistic liar?
David later wrote these words in Psalms that suggest he could.
Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. (Psalm 31:18)
Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. (Psalm 144:11)
Insult to injury, disobedience to lying. These are all things that can creep into our lives without warning. Sometimes we succumb to these behaviors and other times we fall victim to them.
What we do next determines our outcome.
David encouraged himself in the Lord and we can do the same.
Action Step
“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.”
Isaiah 26:3 MEV
When worries start to overwhelm you. Imagine lifting up your eyes and seeing Jesus standing over you.
Lift up your hands to Him right now, and imagine Him picking you up in His arms and comforting you.
Nothing is too hard for Him to handle.
Be honest with Him.
Give Him whatever concerns come to your mind right now.