David’s Hardships and Prayers
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 23:14-29
14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
19 The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands.”
21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah.”
24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.
26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
* (Sela Hammahlekoth means rock of parting.)
Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.
1 Samuel 23:14
After God rejected Saul as the king over Israel because of his disobedience (March 9), God had Samuel anoint David to be the next king (1 Samuel 16). Even so, Saul remained king for a number of years, and he grew jealous of David. Saul even mounted a campaign to kill David, searching for him with his army in the wilderness.
But God protected David and guided him to rely on God in faith. Through this time of struggle David grew to understand that God is the faithful one, and that we can trust God to keep his promises.
For example, David prayed, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. . . . I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3). David knew that God was keeping him safe and guiding him. And God gave David the faith to deal with his hardships.
David prayed and praised God through his painful moments, when he fell short, when he was humbled, and when he wandered miserably. And by God’s grace and in God’s strength, David survived and was able to flourish.
When we are weary and face difficult times, we too can trust in God and triumph in his power. So let’s make sure we stay connected to God through prayer and in praising God’s holy and powerful name.
Father God, let us not forget that we are your children, no matter what situations we face. May we praise you and always look to you for guidance, through faith and in your strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
