Scripture:
1 Samuel 27:1-7; 21:10-22:5
Tue, 16 November 2021

David Fled to Gath — Again!

Observation:

What do David’s two flights to Gath to escape from Saul tell us about him?

Deeper Reflection
IN ESCAPING FROM SAUL, David was quite convinced that his only security rested in “the land of the Philistines” (v.1). So, he went to “Achish, king of Gath” (v.2) – the second time David fled to Gath. At his first flight (1 Sam 21:10-15), David took a great risk, because Gath was where Goliath whom he killed came from (1 Sam 17:4). But it was also then, as now, his best option (v.1). Back then, to save his own life, David disguised his sanity, which led to Achish rejecting him. What made David think that Achish would receive him now? At the first time, David was alone. But now, he came with his own private army of 600 battle-tested men (v.3; cf. 1 Sam 23:13). Was David putting confidence in the flesh in this instance? It is true that David’s objective that Saul “will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel” was achieved (vv.1, 4). But that does not mean that it was God’s will for David to flee to Gath. Clearly, it wasn’t God’s will for David to do so the first time. God spoke to David clearly: “Go [back] into the land of Judah” (1 Sam 22:5) – “the land where his destiny was to be realised”25. David had used the phrase “your servant” in relation to God (1 Sam 23:10) and to God’s anointed king (1 Sam 17:32, 34, 36). But now he referred to himself as Achish’s “servant” (v.5), “as if his allegiance has shifted”26. David had strayed off course from God’s will.
25 Robert B. Chisholm Jr., 1 & 2 Samuel, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Baker, 2013), 178 26 Robert B. Chisholm Jr., 178
Application:

How will I know that I have strayed off course from the will of God in my life?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise:
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To stay on course in God’s will
  • Pray for significant people:
  • Pray for those in need:
  • Pray for self:

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10: 4-19
Sat, 30 September 2023

Strengthened by the Divine Touch

Observation:

What is the significance of the repetition of the terms “strength” and
“strengthen” in Daniel’s encounter with God (vv.8, 16, 17, 18, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
When God sent His Word to Daniel in a vision, it was he “alone saw” the “great vision” (vv.7-8). It was a special privilege of divine sovereign grace. The vision was also a vision of God’s holiness and glory manifested in the awesome appearance of a heavenly being (vv.5-6). Daniel was so utterly overwhelmed by the divine vision, that “no strength was left in me” (v.8). The description, “no strength”, is emphatically repeated four times in Daniel’s encounter with God (vv.8, 16, 17). We may not experience such an utterly overwhelming encounter with God like Daniel’s, but we do experience “no strength was left in me” in utterly overwhelming adversities like being “afflicted in every way” (2 Cor 1:8; 4:8-9).When we have “no strength”, we need the divine touch. God responded to Daniel’s fourfold “no strength” with a threefold divine touch (vv.10, 16, 18): He “touched me again and strengthened me”. When we are so greatly afflicted, that we feel no strength is left in us, and yet we persevere in faithfulness, it is because we are being “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of great endurance and patience” (Col 1:11). Note the intensity and immensity of this divine power at work in us! This is the divine touch of “the surpassing greatness of power” from God (2 Cor 4:7-9). But we feel the physical and emotional pains more than the Spiritual power. The greater is our suffering, the greater will be the strength from God in us, and the greater will be our steadfastness in God.
Application:

What is my experience of the Word of God and spiritual warfare like in my
discipleship journey?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To know God’s power that is perfected in weaknesses
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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