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Cave Time

Where God Does His Best Work

SYNOPSIS: Cave time—everyone gets it. The cave always reveals just how much work God still has to do to get you ready for great things. In the cave of Adullam, God revealed to David that his good looks, musical skill, and winsome personality weren’t enough for the kind of king Israel needed. Saul had that—looks, skill, charisma—but he didn’t have the kind of depth with God that the leader of God’s people needed. David needed more of God; the testing of the cave clearly revealed that. By the way, God does his best work in caves because it’s where he resurrects what is dead! That cave was where a dead Messiah became a Risen Savior…and your cave is where your dead dreams, or maybe your dead ministry, or perhaps your dead career, or even your dead marriage will take on resurrection life.

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Samuel 22:1

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.

If you are like me, you want to live in the never-ending summer of God’s blessing—the sunshine of his grace—where you’ll flourish and enjoy a fruitful life. But to get from here to that land of spiritual fruitfulness, you will have to first endure some “cave-time”.

The cave is core curriculum in the school of spirituality. Call it whatever you want: the pit (Joseph’s “cave”), the desert (Moses’ “cave”), the prison (Paul’s “cave”), the wilderness (Jesus’ “cave”), the cave is to Christians what Camp Pendleton is to marines: Boot camp! It’s basic training for believers. Every believer gets cave-time!

The cave is the place of testing. It’s the blast furnace for moral fiber—where your mettle gets tested! Put a person in the cave of distress, discouragement, doubt, or delayed hopes and true character is revealed. The cave always reveals just how much work God still has to do to get you ready for great things. In the cave of Adullam, God revealed to David that his good looks, musical skill, and winsome personality weren’t enough for the kind of king Israel needed. Saul had that—looks, skill, charisma—but he didn’t have the kind of depth with God that the leader of God’s people needed. David needed more of God; the testing of the cave clearly revealed that.

The cave is also a place of learning. David recognized that he needed “cave time” so he could “learn what God will do for me.” (I Samuel 22:3) In the cave, David learned what it meant to fully depend on God because God stripped him of all his misplaced dependencies: his position (David went from fair-haired boy to fugitive overnight), his friends (David was separated from his best friend, Jonathon), his spiritual mentor (Samuel died while David was in the cave) and even his dignity (he actually had to feign insanity to escape the Philistines). These were all good things in David’s life, yet God knew that they were a barrier to the great things he had in store for David. So God removed them.

The cave was perhaps the most frustrating period in David’s life—but in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. That’s because the cave is also the place of forging. As an unknown poet said, the cave is where you are, “pressed into knowing no helper but God.” And that’s exactly what happened to David in the cave of Adullam. Through the discipline of that place, David came into a profound experience with God, and that is the one thing David would need to be a great king.

That’s what God does in the cave. And by the way, God does some of his best work when we are experiencing “cave time”. It was there in the cave of Adullam that David wrote three of his most moving psalms—Psalms 34, 57 & 142.

Psalm 142 shows us that David learned to talk openly and honestly with God—and that God could handle David’s raw emotion. David got brutally honest with God in the cave, and it was great therapy: “I cry aloud to the Lord…I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1-2)

Psalm 52 shows us that David learned to toughen up in the cave because God was training him how to “king it!” That’s why David said of his “cave time” experience, “I cry out to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2)

Finally, Psalm 34 shows us that David learned to look for God in the cave. It was there David found that God was his all-in-all, and out of experience he penned Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

So here’s the deal: If you are in a cave right now, I want to remind you of some good news: You are not alone—God is with you. And furthermore, God understands all about caves. He’s been there! You see, the son of David, Jesus, was stripped of everything, too. He lost his position as a spiritual leader. His own family criticized him. His friends ran away. He lost the adoration of the cheering crowds. He suffered the mockery of a trial and the humiliation of a cross. And when he died, they buried his lifeless body in a cave, and it looked like it was over!

But God does his best work in caves because it’s where he resurrects dead stuff! That cave was where a dead Messiah became a Risen Savior…and your cave is where your dead dreams, or maybe your dead ministry, or perhaps your dead career, or even your dead marriage will take on resurrection life.

Your cave may be very deep and dark and devastating, but here’s the thing you need to know: God works in caves! So stay patient, pliable, and trusting—your resurrection is coming!

Going Deeper With God: What a great reminder, that, as Spurgeon said, “Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” Perhaps it would be a good idea right now to thank God in advance for the grandeur that he is forging from your “cave time”!

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Simeon, Advent, and the Discipline of Waiting

Christmas Reminds Us of the Importance of Waiting

What gift will you offer to God on this Christmas day? If you look at the lives of the Bible characters who offered God their ruthless trust, like the prophet Simeon, you will notice that the outstanding characteristic of their lives was the willingness to wait on the Lord for the fulfillment of His promises. They prayed – and didn’t give up. They obeyed – and didn’t grow weary. They expected – and didn’t lose heart. Now Simeon’s brief and mostly overlooked response to Christ’s birth has been included in scripture to remind us that God still looks for those with a Simeon spirit—people who are equally dedicated to God’s ways, who are led by God’s Spirit, who are obedient to God’s will, who will speak God’s Word, and who are willing to wait unwaveringly on God’s timing. Which begs the question: How long are you willing to faithfully live while patiently waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life? Biblical waiting – your willingness to pray, expect, trust, obey, and in general, live a God-honoring life in the meantime – will in the end prove to be the greatest gift you offered to God.

The Journey: Luke 2:28-29

Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace.”

One of the least known characters in the Lukan Christmas narratives is an old prophet named Simeon. I can just imagine this old, weathered oracle, moved by the Holy Spirit, running up to Mary and grabbing the baby Jesus from her arms. Perhaps Mary and Joseph were a bit stunned; maybe they were about to call for the temple guard to arrest this crazy old man, but before they could react, Simeon burst forth in loud prophetic praise to God,

“…dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation…”

Then as suddenly as he took the baby, Simeon gently laid Jesus back into Mary’s arms. He pronounced a blessing upon the young parents, uttered a few esoteric words, then turned and made his way through the curious onlookers. As Simeon walked away, he shouted his praises to God, and as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone from the temple—and from any further mention in the Bible.

Not much is known about Simeon. Christian tradition suggests that he was very old—over 100 years of age. We don’t know for sure, but because of his eagerness to die, that would be a logical assumption. We’re told in Luke 2:25 that he was looking for the “consolation of Israel”—a reference to the messianic hope of the Jewish nation. Then as we dig a little deeper into this passage, Luke 2:25-35, we actually begin to learn a great deal more about this otherwise obscure man:

  1. We learn that he was a man who was dedicated to the ways of God — “devout and righteous”. (Luke 2:25) Simeon had a consuming passion for God.
  2. We also discover that he was a man who was led by the Spirit of God — “The Holy Spirit was upon him… revealed to him by the Holy Spirit… Moved by the Spirit.” (Luke 2:25-27) Simeon had a unique connection to God.
  3. We likewise find that he was a man who was obedient to the will of God — “He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. It had been revealed to him that he would see it in his lifetime.” (Luke 2:25) Simeon had an unbending dedication to the plan of God.
  4. We then see he was a man who was committed to speaking the truth of God — “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many…And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35) Simeon had an unwavering commitment to speaking the prophetic Word of God.

Now this might seem like nothing more than otherwise unimportant and uninteresting biographical information on this old prophet, but there is something instructive here for you and me. You see, Simeon’s story has been included in Holy Scripture to remind us that God is still looking for people with the spirit of Simeon—people who are equally dedicated to the ways of God, who have learned to be led by the Spirit of God, who are obedient to the will of God, who will speak the Word of God, and who are willing to wait unwaveringly on God.

If you simply look at the lives of those whom the Bible presents as examples of God-honoring faith, you will notice that one of the outstanding characteristics of their lives was the willingness to wait on God for the fulfillment of his promises. They prayed – and didn’t give up. They obeyed – and didn’t grow weary. They expected – and didn’t lose heart. Which begs the question: How long are you willing to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life? Biblical waiting – your willingness to pray, expect, trust, obey, and in general, live a God-honoring life in the meantime – will in the end be the very thing that determines the strength of your faith, which is the greatest treasure you can offer to God.

Those are the kind of people for whom God is looking, through whom God will speak and to whom God will fulfill his promises.

Will you be that person?

A Simple Christmas Prayer:

God, give me the spirit of Simeon. Grant me the heart to seek, the passion to obey, the courage to speak, the patience to wait.
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Breaking You Down To Build You Up

There is No Testimony Without A Test

SYNOPSIS: The place of testing is where every supporting prop in your life gets removed. It’s where you end up when you thought you were going to do big things for God, or have a great family, or have a successful career, and it becomes clear that things are not working out the way you’d dreamed. It will likely be the most frustrating period in your life—but in hindsight, it will turn out to be the most fruitful. That’s because the place of testing and removing is also the place of forging and rebuilding. As an unknown poet said, it is the place where you are, “pressed into knowing no helper but God.” And there is no better place. So, with that in mind, if you’re going through a place of testing, it may be a good time to simply say “thank you, God” as an act of trust and faith.

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Samuel 21:10-14

David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) That is the fun part of being a Christ-follower.

Jesus also said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25) That is the not-so-fun part of being a Christ-follower. But it is the imminently rewarding part of walking with Jesus.

Before the Son of David spoke those paradoxical words, David went thru the process that Jesus described. You and I will, too. Like David, we must allow Jesus to break us down so he can build us up, that is, to build us into the kind of people he desires us to be. Going through that process means he will strip us of every misplaced dependency.

You see, the good things in life can be a barrier to the great things God has for us. So God removes them. Deuteronomy 8:3 goes on to say, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from God’s mouth.”

In David’s case, it took ten years of tearing down as one-by-one all of the good things he’d once relied on got stripped away. Over the course of several chapters in 1 Samuel, God stripped David’s of just about everything:

  • David lost his position. Overnight David went from Israel’s most popular figure to national pariah.
  • David lost his wife. He had married King Saul’s daughter, Michal, but when David fled, Saul married her off to another man.
  • David lost his mentor. About the time all this upheaval took place, Samuel died. So David lost his job, his family, and now he loses his spiritual mentor—the one who’d anointed him and guided him.
  • David lost his best friend.  If losing his job, wife, and mentor wasn’t enough, he lost Jonathan. He was the one who had stood up to his own father, King Saul, risking his life to protect David. He warned David to flee, but since Jonathan was bound by loyalty to his troubled father, he could no longer see David. So these spiritual soul-mates parted ways, never to see each other again in life.
  • David lost his country. At the end of I Samuel 21 David’s so desperate, with nowhere to hide, that he flees to Gath, the capital city of Israel’s arch-enemy, the Philistines, and home to the now-dead Goliath. That’s how bad it got — David’s now seeking refuge in Gath among Goliath’s people.
  • David lost his dignity. Finally, there in Gath, he reached rock bottom: “When David realized that he had been recognized, he panicked, fearing the worst from King Achish. (1 Samuel 21:13)

While the Philistine officers were looking at David, he pretended to go crazy, pounding his head on the city gate and foaming at the mouth, spit dripping from his beard. Achish took one look at him and said to his servants, “Can’t you see he’s crazy? Why’d you let him in here? Don’t you think I have enough crazy people to put up with as it is without adding another? Get him out of here!” (1 Samuel 21:14-15)

So David, expecting to be king with a kingdom ends up on the lam with no position, no people, no pastor, no partner, no pride—and no prospect that it would ever be different—stripped of every dependency.

Testing—the place in your life where every supporting prop gets kicked out from beneath you. It is where you end up when you thought you were going to do great things for God, or have a great family, or have a successful career, and it becomes clear that things are not working out the way you’d dreamed.

For David, it was the most frustrating period in his life—but in hindsight, it turned out to be the most fruitful. That is because the place of testing and tearing down is also the place of forging and rebuilding. As an unknown poet said, it is the place where you are, “pressed into knowing no helper but God.”

Pressed into knowing no helper but God—that’s what happened to David. Through the discipline of that difficult season in his life, God was instructing David that God was his true source, and that was the one thing David would need to be a great king.

Guess what: God is teaching you how to “king it” too! Not very fun…but it is incredibly fruitful. And though we wouldn’t choose it for ourselves, thank God he tears us down to build us up!

Going Deeper With God: Are you going through a season of stripping? This may be a good time to simply say “thank you” as an act of trust and faith.

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The Rock

In God I Trust!

SYNOPSIS: One of the things I love most about the faith that I’ve placed in Jesus Christ as my Savior is that no matter what, I win! When trouble hits, I win because God delivers me from all of my troubles. Even when I or a loved one goes through the tragedy of terminal illness, relational heartbreak, economic disaster, or premature death, I belong to a God who holds my hand … “never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), provides my daily bread … “My God will supply all my needs” (Philippians 4:19), turns my tragedy to triumph … “In all things he works for the good” (Romans 8:28), trumps death with eternal life … “He who believes in me, even though he dies, will live again” (John 11:24-26), and one day will permanently turn my tears to joy and make everything new … “He will wipe away every tear.” (Revelation 21:4). No doubt about it, God is my rock!

Project 52—Memorize:
Psalm 18:2

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

William Gurnall wrote, “Hope fills the afflicted soul with such inward joy and consolation, that it can laugh while tears are in the eye, sigh and sing all in a breath; it is called ‘the rejoicing of hope.’”

Rejoicing in hope—that is what David did even as Saul was closing in on him with murderous intent, as we learn from the title of Psalm 18. As David stared death in the eye, he could sing and laugh and cry and sigh all at the same time. He could gladly declare, “I love the Lord… The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior,” (Psalm 18:1,46) because he knew Somebody greater than him and bigger than Saul was watching out for him:

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” (Psalm 18:16-19)

Rejoicing in hope—that is what you can do when the Lord is your Rock!  Aren’t you glad about that? I am so thankful that my trust is in the Lord. He is indeed a Fortress and a Deliverer. Not that I have been kept from all hardship and tragedy—neither have you. We’ve had our share, and perhaps will experience more in the future. As Jesus said, the rain falls on the just and unjust alike.  But we know to Whom we can run when it’s raining—our loving Shield. We know where to go in times of trouble—our great Refuge.

That is one of the things I love most about the faith that I’ve placed in Jesus Christ as my Savior. No matter what, I win! When trouble hits, I win because God delivers me from all of my troubles. (Psalm 34:17, Psalm 41:1)  Even when I or a loved one goes through the tragedy of terminal illness, relational heartbreak, economic disaster, or premature death, I belong to a God who

  • Holds my hand … “never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)
  • Provides my daily bread … “My God will supply all my needs” (Philippians 4:19)
  • Turns my tragedy to triumph … “In all things he works for the good” (Romans 8:28)
  • Trumps death with eternal life … “He who believes in me, even though he dies, will live again” (John 11:24-26)
  • And one day will permanently turn my tears to joy and make everything new … “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4)

Even though life doesn’t always turn out as we have planned, we can rejoice in the Hope of our Rock. He has a track record of faithfulness and goodness going all the way back to the beginning. So determine now to trust him at all times, and when the tough times come around, don’t abandon the only one who will never abandon you. Make your plans now to run to the Rock!

“There is nothing more precious to God than our praise during affliction. Not praise for what the devil has done, but praise for the redeeming power of our loving heavenly Father. What He does not protect us from, He will perfect us through. There is indeed a special blessing for those who do not become offended in God during adversity. Furthermore, we become a special blessing to Him!”  ~Robert C. Frost

Reflect and Apply: God troubles?  Don’t focus on the size of your problem, focus on the greatness of your Rock.

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Calling Out God’s Creative Design In Another

Look To See God In Another

SYNOPSIS: The deepest and best relationships—be it marriage or friendship—rest upon something of God we see in another. When we see the beauty of Christ or the purity of the Spirit or the implanted potential of the Creator, and we’re drawn to that over physical attraction or the career they hold or their popular appeal, we have found the basis of that which God desires a relationship to be built. The greatest thing any person can do for another is to confirm the deepest thing in him or her; to take the time and have the interest and exercise the discernment to see what of God is there, then affirm it and encourage it.

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Samuel 20:16-17

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.” And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.

Jonathan and David—what a friendship. In 2 Samuel 1, we read of David’s lament when the news was brought to him of the deaths of King Saul and Prince Jonathan. As David’s heart overflowed with grief for the loss of his dear friend, he poured forth some of the most moving and beautiful words ever written about a friend,

Saul and Jonathan — in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. How the mighty have fallen! (2 Samuel 1:23-27)

Interestingly, the unlikely friendship that developed between David and Jonathan was a bright spot in what was mostly the dark context of Jonathan’s father, King Saul’s hatred for David. Yet how true that is of significant friendships: they are born, tested, and strengthened in the crucible of difficulty. As someone has rightly said, “Prosperity begets friends, adversity proves them.”

When the rest of the world abandoned David, Jonathan stood by him. Jonathan’s friendship entered David’s soul in a way Saul’s hatred never did. Writer Chuck Swindoll says they became “kindred spirits.” They were soul-mates of a different kind, to paraphrase Aristotle, “a single soul dwelling in two bodies.”

One of the bright moments in David’s rise to power was the strengthening hand of his friend, Jonathan, the rightful heir to the throne that David would occupy in Jonathan’s stead. So close was this friendship that David said it surpassed the love a man might have for a woman, or as the Contemporary English Version reads, “You were truly loyal to me, more faithful than a wife to her husband.” The Message captures it this way: “Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I’ve known—or ever hope to know.” (2 Samuel 1:26)

As King Saul was declining, and trying to take David down with him, it was Jonathan who was largely responsible for sustaining and strengthening David to stay faithful and hopeful in the Lord. Jonathan’s friendship bracketed and contained Saul’s evil. The friendship Jonathan offered to David was truly redemptive—a relationship that truly was spiritual at the core. The foundation and the formation of this friendship were centered on their shared devotion to God.

I Samuel 18:1-4 says, “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt.”

In the purest sense, this was love at first sight. The moment Jonathan saw David go out to battle, his heart went out to him in great affection and devotion. He loved David for what he saw of God in him: Courage to face a giant, trust that God would go with him, loyalty to the king that led him to risk certain death, and such devotion to God’s people that he’d put his life on the line to achieve victory for Israel. These character qualities that Jonathan saw in David drew from him deep admiration and covenantal love. And it was their covenant, by the way, not their circumstances, that drove their relationship.

That is God’s plan for human souls—to be knit like that together. Adam and Eve came into the world like that, knit together in a oneness which God had given them—they were kindred spirits. But sin, the thing that separates the human heart from its Creator, also divides human hearts from one another. And the sad result of original sin has been with us ever since. Rather than living in the unity of community, we drift toward the shores of isolation and loneliness.

Yet every human heart cries out that it might be knit to another as Jonathan was knit to David, as Adam was knit to Eve. And every authentic friendship, every intimate marriage, every Godly courtship, every soul–mate relationship is a re-establishment of the sacred union of God’s original intent for human beings.

The deepest and best relationships—be it marriage or friendship—rest upon something of God we see in another. When we see the beauty of Christ or the purity of the Spirit or the implanted potential of the Creator, and we’re drawn to that over physical attraction or the career they hold or their popular appeal, we have found the basis of that which God desires a relationship to be built. The greatest thing any person can do for another is to confirm the deepest thing in him or her; to take the time and have the interest and exercise the discernment to see what of God is there, then affirm it and encourage it.

That’s what David and Jonathan had—a friendship that was fundamentally spiritual!

I believe that rather than focusing on having these kinds of Jonathan-like friends, we’d see better results if we’d focus on being a Jonathan-like friend. Each of us desires someone like Jonathan in our lives—and it’s certainly appropriate to pray that way. But each of us should pray that God will make us a Jonathan to a David.

What sort of friend are you? If you were somebody else, would you want you as a friend? Is your love for people unconditional and selfless and steadfast? If you want to have those kinds of friends, show yourself to be that kind of friend.

The best vitamin for redemptive friendships: B-1!

Going Deeper With God: Ask God to give you Jonathan-like qualities of a redemptive friend. Then, to the best of your ability, B-1.
.

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Spear Throwers

Learn a Lesson From David on Artful Dodging

SYNOPSIS: One of the common experiences we all share in life is dealing with chronically angry people. Sometimes, those angry people can become a danger to us—emotionally and even physically. They become spear throwers, like King Saul was to David. Preserving your health and well-being with a spear thrower takes wisdom and skill, and God has provided the example for both in David. Learn from him—you’re going to need it.

Going Deep // Focus: 1 Samuel 19:9-10

One day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the tormenting spirit from the Lord suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp, Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.

King Saul became a spear thrower—and David was his favorite target. The king had become increasingly paranoid about David, and uncontrollably angry. His downward spiral into emotional illness is well documented in the previous chapters of 1 Samuel, and it’s a sad story—a cautionary tale of the potential devastation of unconfessed sin.

For David, it wasn’t a cautionary tale; it was a living hell. The king’s uncontrollable anger didn’t come in the form of verbal abuse; it was physical. On several occasions, Saul tried to kill his loyal associate, literally attempting to pin him to the wall with his spear as David played the harp to soothe the king’s manic-depressive mood swings. In order to preserve his own health and well-being, David had to quickly deal with Saul—which he did. And the wise approach he took is incredibly instructive for us today as we deal with spear throwers in our own lives. We can find several things David did to survive his spear-throwing boss:

  1. First, David established rules. He knew Saul’s destructive capabilities, so wisely set boundaries to limit the damage. 1 Samuel 19:10 says, “While David was playing the harp, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.” David didn’t continue to give Saul the opportunity to nail him to the wall. Being a peacemaker doesn’t mean being a whipping boy. If another’s anger is endangering you physically or emotionally, you have to draw the line. You will probably need to get some advice from your pastor or a professional counselor on this if your spear thrower is extreme, but do it nonetheless.
  2. Second, David exhibited respect. A few chapters later in 1 Samuel 24, David had escaped Saul, and he and his men hid from the king in a cave. As Saul was hunting David, he happened into the very same cave—to relieve himself—unaware that David was hiding in the shadows, watching every move. David had a chance to kill him, but instead, he quietly came up behind Saul and cut off the edge of his robe. “Then, as Saul was leaving, David shouted, ‘My lord the king!’ As Saul looked back, David had prostrated himself with his face to the ground.” (1 Samuel 24:8) He never spoke disrespectfully to or about Saul. And therein is an important lesson for us: another’s anger rarely, if ever, justifies yours.
  3. Third, David eliminated retaliation. He refused to seek revenge on the king, even though Saul deserved it, and even while David’s men were urging him to do it: “This day you’ve seen how the Lord delivered you into my hands. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay a hand on my master since he’s God’s anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:10) David had plenty of justification to retaliate: the circumstances were right, his men were encouraging him, the Lord had already anointed him to replace Saul. But he refused to do what only God can do: To pass judgment on another person!
  4. Fourth, David expected redemption. He entrusted himself to God: “May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” (1 Samuel 24:15) David drew boundaries, but he never lacked respect, nor retaliated, because he knew that if he entrusted himself to God, he would be okay—especially with God. Proverbs 16:7 says, “When people’s ways please the Lord, He makes even their enemies to be at peace with them.” That is a promise you and I can lean into, especially if you have a spear thrower in your life.

Today, when someone throws a barb your way, or worse, remember the wonderful model that God has provided for you in David for dealing with that person. When you deal with the spear thrower in a God honoring way, it may just very well be the thing that releases God’s peace in that relationship.

At the very least, and most importantly, your ways will please the Lord.

Going Deeper With God: Pick up a copy of Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No-To Take Control of Your Life and read it sometime in the next month or two.

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A Gift For God

How To Make Him Happy

SYNOPSIS: What can you give to a God who has it all and does it all? Only your fear and your hope! What satisfies God to the core of his being is the fear that arises not out of terror, but from the kind of reverence and obedience that comes from knowing that he is the giver and sustainer of life itself, the rightful owner of Planet Earth and ruler of your life.

Project 52—Memorize:
Psalm 147:11

“The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

How do you make God happy?  He has everything he wants and can create what he doesn’t have.

God is all-powerful—after all, he even created all the stars and calls them each by name:  “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:4)

God knows everything there is to know—there is no limit to either his power or his understanding: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:5)

God has fixed up this little globe called earth to run amazingly well, sustaining its ecological systems: “He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool, and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.” (Psalm 147:15-18)

God has even ordered provision for the daily needs of his earthly creatures: “He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.” (Psalm 147:8-9)

So precisely, abundantly, and consistently does God care for the earth’s higher inhabitants that their utter and ceaseless gratitude is only fitting: “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.” (Psalm 147:7)

What, then, can you give to a God who has it all and does it all?  Only your fear and your hope! What satisfies God to the core of his being is the fear that arises not out of terror, but from the kind of reverence and respect that comes from knowing that he is the giver and sustainer of life itself, the rightful owner of Planet Earth and ruler of your life.

What causes God pleasure is the hope that looks to him for protection, peace, and provision: “For he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. (Psalm 147:13-14)

What causes God pleasure is the patience that waits for him to execute justice and fairness: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

What causes God pleasure is trust that expects him to fulfill his good purposes to all those who belong to him: “He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.” (Psalm 147:19-20).

What gift can you offer to the one Being who truly has it all?  Just your very life, that’s all.

“God desires to be loved by men, although He needs them not; and men refuse to love God, though they need Him in an infinite degree.” ~Plaintes Du Sauveur

Reflect and Apply: Do you want to bring a smile to God’s face today?  I think you know what to do!