I Samuel 22- God still speaks through His word, even in January.

 Read I Samuel 22-

Thanks to the date on my last blog I have realized that I missed a lot of days. Here's why. (That "Here's why" was for Pastor Bob, who clearly reads my blog, as evidenced by his sermons that “coincidentally” say the same thing (totally kidding (how many embedded parentheses can I have? (ok last one ))))

Well, the biggest reason for the gap is that school is back in session, and my focusing ability is totally depleted during the day, by the five cutest students in the world, leaving my nights (when I usually type out my devo blog) completely devoid of the ability to form a coherent sentence. But another reason, would be that I seem to have had a case of the Januaries. I know I am not alone, because I have confessed this “Blah” feeling to some of my closest friends, only to hear many of them echo my sentiments. Oppressed seems like a strong word, but yet it is the right word. This past week I felt somewhat better, despite circumstances around me getting worse. However, in the middle of it, if you have ever been there, and are in charge of or responsible for anyone else, it's easy to feel unqualified, defeated, thinking “How do I take care of my children, or students, or coworkers, or fill in the blank....when I don't even feel like taking care of myself?"

So I decided today that I wasn't going to let another day go by without digging into the word. And while the kids were playing on the play set at the park, I pulled out my phone and started reading. (that's right lady judging me at the park for being on my phone....I was reading the BIBLE!) ;) So I began reading and read this:

 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

David was running for his life, trying to cling to a promise that was given to him, betrayed by his master, separated from his best friend, and crying out to God regularly for protection. Yet in this broken state, they came to him, those that were discontented, and in debt, and distressed. And he became captain over them. How? How did he do it? He was anointed to do it. He was chosen to do it. He was empowered to do it. He was surrendered to God's will. And he chose to do it.

 I could relate. There are those days, too many lately, where I felt like I was struggling to take care of myself properly, yet here they came, the distressed, the indebted, and the discontent, needing me to be their captain.  So I pray that as we stand before the Lord, possibly feeling like we have nothing left to give, that we would realize we never had anything to give in the first place. That is through Him and Him alone that we do anything good. So by the power of His Holy Spirit, there is nothing we cannot do.

5 Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

Regardless of how little David was in control, he was still in control of whether or not he chose to obey. And here he does. He receives council from one of the prophets and acts on it.

The end of the chapter gruesomely recounts the consequences of David's lies to the priest. Saul hears from a man that was there and witnessed the priest aiding a deceitful and desperate David. He reports to Saul all that happened and many are killed because of it.

The last chapter we saw how our victories in Christ empower us for even bigger victories in the future. However this chapter reminds us that our disobedience also has far reaching consequences into the future. Our society tries to deny this reality. We as Christians also can pretend this is not true. Sometimes we think that we can pray away the disastrous results to our bad choices and sins. We are forgiven. That is for sure. But our decisions have consequences. I pray that our eyes would be opened to those sinful decisions we are making....pride, covetousness, blasphemy, lust.....those commandments being broken, and that we would take them seriously, knowing also that we serve a just and loving God, who longs to be gracious to us. Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.