Faith that Doesn’t Make Sense
Here is an audio link for today’s post.
1 Samuel 23
Have you ever wondered why God allows you to go through trials that just don’t make any sense at all? We know that life is going to be full of struggles and sorrows. But sometimes it just seems that it would serve God better if He would just do something else.
For example, during the Holocaust, some Christian families rescued Jewish people. But these faithful believers who successfully protected the persecuted victims were often interned in concentration camps and many were martyred. That doesn’t make sense from our point of view, does it? It may seem that another outcome would have been best.
So many of those who courageously obeyed God, have left behind testimonies of extraordinary faith and salvation. Their living legacy was choosing obedience. Their legacy could have been one of sinful disobedience.
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 4:17
Well, today’s continuing story of Saul and David may leave many readers with the same question. Wasn’t there a more sensible plan?
As the story opens the Philistines are on the attack again. This time they are attacking the city of Keilah. Keilah was a city that had been given to the Hebrew tribe of Judah. They were defenseless against the Philistines because King Saul failed in his obligation to protect them.
Now keep in mind, David is still on the run from Saul. He has no kingly authority. But David has godly wisdom and wholehearted devotion to God. So, the first thing he did was what every believer should do in any situation. He asked God what to do.
“Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
1 Samuel 23:2
But David’s men were afraid to stand up to the Philistines. So, David inquired of the Lord once more. God was patient.
Then David inquired of the Lord once again. And the Lord answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.” And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, struck them with a mighty blow, and took away their livestock. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
1 Samuel 23:4 & 5
But look at the mystifying part of this story.
And Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah. So Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” Then Saul called all the people together for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
1 Samuel 23:7 & 8
David had obeyed God, and Saul had sinned by failing to protect Keilah. Then when Saul finally did go to Keilah, it wasn’t to honor God by defending the city, but rather he sought to murder David and his men.
No matter how hard it may seem, faith in God was the answer to this dilemma. And faith is the answer for you and me, too.
As the story continues, David never questions God’s authority. He simply asks for clarity. He asks if he has reason to fear an attack from Saul. He also asks God if the people they had just rescued from the Philistines, would turn them over to Saul.
“…Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?”
And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”
But just when you wonder why God allowed all of this, you begin to see the goodness of God.
Keilah was delivered. David’s faith grew. David’s men learned that they could not only count on David, but they could count on David’s God. David got to see Jonathan, his friend, one more time. The Bible says that Jonathan strengthened David.
Many of you know that King David authored many of the Psalms. I have linked two Psalms that he wrote during the events of chapter 23. Be sure to finish reading this chapter. Everything is linked for you in today’s post.
Psalm 54, Psalm 63 is attributed to David during the time recorded in 1 Samuel 23:14-29
Share the Good News in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Statement of Faith
