- 1 Samuel 26 Daily DEVO Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 1 Samuel 26:21 – If you remember, only a couple chapters ago Saul said something very much like this and also said he’d stop chasing after David. Yet here we are again, Saul being directed by his envy and anger and falling back into sin. Clearly Saul didn’t repent. See repenting is more than just being sorry for something you did, it’s making the commitment and changes to make sure that you don’t make that same mistake again. Sure Saul was sorry the first time, but he didn’t make the changes in his life to make sure he didn’t make the same mistake of chasing David in anger again. For you, what is it that you keep doing again and again that you know you shouldn’t be? How many times have you said you’re sorry to God for it yet still fallen back into that same sin once again later on? My encouragement to you is don’t just be sorry about it, repent. Choose to make whatever changes are necessary to not fall into that sin again. Maybe it’s letting go of a relationship, maybe it’s deleting an app, maybe it’s quitting a job. Saul needed to let go of his insecurities and jealously, what do you need to let go of so you don’t fall into that sin again? If you want to change, you have to make a change. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 426
- Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 1 Samuel 26:6-7 – I didn’t catch this at first, but did you notice how David asked two people to go down with him, yet only one came along? He asked Ahimelech and Abishai to come down with him into Saul’s camp, but we only see Abishai speak up and go with David into the enemy territory. It’s very easy to focus on those those don’t come with you, but we must not forget the people who did choose to walk with you. Yes, sometimes the people that choose not to be in our story anymore are ones we think should be like parents or certain longtime friends. While that may be our situation, we must remember the others who have chosen to be a part of our story permanently. Maybe they are a Christian brother or sister, or a pastor, or a unlikely friend. You’re not alone, even if the enemy is trying to make you believe you are. Maybe certain people didn’t go down with you, but some are. Celebrate those who are choosing to walk with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1651
- And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 1 Samuel 26:10-11 – Righteous actions often seem ridiculous. Here David is once again being hunted by Saul who after their previous encounter, when David spared Saul’s life in the cave, Saul was remorseful of his actions and said he’d stop hunting David. Saul was now asleep, surround by his army, with David standing over Saul able to end him with no issue. Once again though he refuses to kill the king and end this manhunt. Both of these times where David spared Saul’s life would have seem completely ridiculous to David’s men. All of their troubles could have been over with one stab of a spear, and while an easy and ridiculous not to go down path, it wasn’t the righteous path to take. While killing Saul would have ended the manhunt, it would not have pleased the Lord. You as well will be invited down many easy paths in life, paths that to many would seem ridiculous not to go down. These paths though are not righteous ones that bring glory to the Lord. If you’re aim in life is ease in this world, then go down those paths. If though your aim is pleasing the Lord with your life, choose a different path than these, as ridiculous to some as that choice may seem. You are about something greater and something higher than just this life. Let every choice you make and every path you walk down be about Jesus and what would please him the most. While that is ridiculous to the world, its pleasing to the Lord, and what could be a better aim in life than to live a life pleasing to the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2903
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