Better Than We Deserve

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 21:14-15, Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

David seemed to go from one place to another, making the most unwise decisions. However, before we criticize him, many of us would, and have, done the same if we felt that our lives depended on it. He first lied to Ahimelech the priest, and now he essentially delivers himself into his, and Israel’s, enemies hands. In spite of what we read here, we are not really given a snapshot of where David was emotionally. If we read only this passage, we will also misunderstand where he was spiritually. For all intents and purposes, we could easily conclude that David’s heart, because he lied and now made such an unwise decision, was far from the LORD. However, I warn us to take caution in jumping to such a conclusion, and remind all of us why it is dangerous to make assumptions about where someone is spiritually, solely based on what we think we see. In order to have a better understanding of where David was spiritually, we must read the Psalms he wrote while going through this ordeal. In spite of having to run from King Saul, convincing himself that he had to lie and use deceit in order to survive, we see David’s heart in Psalms 56 and 34. In Psalm 56 he wrote, after being captured by the Philistines, about his prayers to God and how he was confident that God had not forsaken him, but was for him. In verses 8-11 he stated, “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book? 9 When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me. 10 In God (I will praise His word), in the LORD (I will praise His word), 11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” In spite of what we see of his actions, his heart was with the LORD. This is part of the reason God called him a man after God’s own heart, even in spite of his imperfections. In Psalm 34 he wrote praise after praise about God’s goodness and how He delivered him when Achish, king of the Philistines, cast him away, convinced that David was really insane. Although we cannot excuse David for his sinful behavior, what is most important in all of this is God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience, and love for David. This is the same mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience, and love, that has been extended to us in Christ Jesus. We can learn many lessons from David’s victories and failures, but the most important lesson we can learn is about God’s faithfulness. In Psalm 34:8-9 David wrote, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! there is no want (lack) to those who fear Him.” David’s choices and actions, on the surface, appear to be those of one who completely lacked faith in the LORD’s ability to protect him and deliver him. Yet, when God gives us a glimpse of what was in David’s heart, we see a man who was human, made some mistakes, but whose love for God never wavered. Note also that in all his troubles, we never see him blame Saul for having to run, nor did he blame God for allowing all this to happen in his life. We can learn a lot about what our attitude should be, and what our prayers should be, when we find ourselves in the midst of trials and tribulations. The most important thing to remember is that in all we suffer in this world, we have a God who sees it, and though He may allow us to go through it, even if we make mistakes along the way, He is always better to us than we deserve.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).