Month: September 2010

1 Samuel 30-31; Psalm 18

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

How the Mighty Fall.

“So Saul, three of his sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.” ­– 1 Samuel 31:6 NLT

As we come to the end of 1 Samuel, we come to the tragic end of Saul’s life. Abandoned by God. Driven by jealousy and fear. Characterized by disobedience and a self-centered, me-focused mindset, Saul ends his life by taking it. He is not even willing to allow God to act as His judge and executioner. Instead, he begs his armor bearer to kill him. When he refuses, Saul takes matters into his own hands again and commits suicide.

What a sad ending to a life that started out so well. He had been given an opportunity by God to serve Him and live as His representative here on earth. But Saul was NOT a man after God’s own heart. He did not share God’s passions. Saul was obsessed with Saul. His will held sway. His desires ruled his life and determined his actions. His death is tragic. You can’t help but feel sorry for him as you read of the last moments of his life and the degrading treatment of his corpse by the enemy after his death.

Yet, at the same time we see David being blessed by God – even in his disobedience. David had been given the town of Ziglag by Achish, king of the Philistines. Located in Philistine territory, David had used this town as his base of operations as he ran secret raids back into the land of Israel, wiping out the enemies of Israel. But the whole time he was hiding his actions by allowing Achish to think he was actually attacking the enemies of the Philistines. God had not told David to hide out in the land of the Philistines. This was David’s decision. But even in his disobedience, David was still trying to serve God by protecting Israel. His heart was right even though some of his decisions were wrong. And those decisions would have negative ramifications. Living in the enemy’s camp was going to be costly. God had already protected him from having to fight against Israel side by side with Achish and his armies. But now, when David returned home to Ziklag, he found it burned to the ground and everyone and everything taken captive by the Amalekites. Things were so bad that David’s men are ready to stone him! They had all lost their wives, children, and possessions. All because David had decided to hide out in the land of the Philistines.

But once again, God steps in. David seeks God’s favor and counsel. He turns to the one he knew he could trust. And God answers. God had stopped talking to Saul a long time ago, but He was still talking to David. And He tells David to go after the Amalekites and that everything would be returned. And it all turns out just as God had said. They catch up to the Amalekites, wipe them out, and get back every person and every possession that had been taken. God intervened once again in the life of David.

David knew that God was with him. He recognized the hand of God in his life. Psalm 18, written at this same time reveals David’s understanding of God’s presence and protection, and His sovereign involvement in his life. All his victories in battle were the result of God’s divine enablement. And success David had experienced was attributable to God and no one else. God was David’s deliverer and his delight. David owed all he was to his God. His life was in God’s hand. His future was in God’s hand. His kingdom was in God’s hand. Which is why he could say, “Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord, and I will sing praises to Your name.” – Psalm 18:49 NASB).

Father, may the words of David be my words. I want to give thanks to You because of all that you have done, are doing, and will do in my life. I owe all that I am to You. I am nothing without You. You have always been my deliverer, but I want You to be my delight. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

1 Samuel 28-29

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Rejected. Protected.

“Samuel said, ‘Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary?’” ­– 1 Samuel 28:16 NASB

As we come to the end of the book of 1 Samuel, we see an interesting contrast between the book’s two main characters: Saul and David. While their paths have intertwined for some time now, we have been watching their relationship slowly unravel. They are on two separate paths, both of which are fully under the sovereign plan and direction of God. Saul’s path, even though he is king, will lead to his own destruction. And in spite of the fact that David is a fugitive living in caves and running for his life, his path will end up in blessing and exaltation at the hand of God.

Saul has been rejected by God. His failure to obey God has resulted in his rejection by God. God has removed His Spirit from Saul and things have degraded to the point where Saul no longer has the ear of God. He calls out to Him, but God refuses to answer. So he is left to consult a witch in an attempt to get some kind of direction regarding the eminent attack of the Philistines. Saul is in trouble. He kingdom is on the verge of collapse and he finds God silent. Even his plan to secretly seek out the help of this woman is a direct violation of the law of God. He had publicly banned all such people, but he knew of at least one witch he could consult privately. Saul’s life was marked by disobedience and compromise – twisting the rules to fit his fancy. But now he found himself rejected by God.

David, on the other hand, finds himself protected by God. Even though he has chosen to seek refuge with the enemy and is living a life of deception and lies, God is protecting him. Why? Because, in spite of his bad decision-making skills, David had a heart for God. He was a man after God’s own heart. He was still trying to do the right thing. He was fighting the enemies of Israel and attempting to honor the king of Israel at the same time. But David’s decision to live among the Philistines had finally caught up with him. Now that the Philistines were going to war with Israel, King Achish was going to expect David to “put up or shut up.” He was going to demand that David show his allegiance by fighting against his former countrymen. David had deceived Achish into believing that he was fighting against the enemies of the Philistines all along, when in reality he had been making raids on the enemies of Israel. All the while enjoying the hospitality and protection of the king of the Philistines.

But now things were going to get interesting. What was David going to do? How was he going to bluff his way out of this one? Fortunately, God intervened and protected David. He led the Philistine military leaders to reject David’s participation in their war effort. They didn’t trust him. So David was able to go home without having to compromise his position or risk his own life in what was going to be God’s punishment of Saul. This story is less about Saul and David than it is about God. He rewards the faithful and punishes the disobedient. God was working out His plan to perfection. He was in complete control. Saul seeks out the help of a witch, a person who consulted with the dead – in complete violation of God’s command. In reality, this woman had no ability to speak with the dead. Instead, her attempts to communicate with the deceased was probably a charade perpetrated by demonic forces. But in this case, God allowed her to actually speak to Samuel or at least a vision of him. That is probably why she is so shocked. God used this unlikely source to give Saul an unpopular message: his coming death.

God would also use the military leaders of Philistia to speak to David and protect him from the very trap in which he had placed himself. God was running this show all the way. David was protected. Saul was rejected. God brought both about. He is always behind the scenes accomplishing His will in His own way. We can’t always see it and don’t always recognize it. But He is intimately involved in our lives in much the same way. Do you see Him?

Father, thanks for this encouraging reminder of Your presence and activity in my life. You are there, each and every day, every step of the way. Help me see You more clearly with each passing day and trust You more with every aspect of my life. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 54; 63

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Do Times of Drought Make You Thirst For God?

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” ­– Psalm 63:1 NLT

Do you ever have those wilderness moments – those times when nothing seems to go right? Your job may not be going as well as you would like or you may not be making as much money as you think you need. Maybe you find yourself not doing well physically or emotionally. Your marriage may be struggling or your kids may be rebelling. It could be that you find yourself alone and lonely. Your world is not as you had hoped it would be. Your life seems to be one constant struggle. What do you long for in those moments? Release? More money? Better health? A healed marriage? A compliant child? A friend?

David found himself in the desert – literally. He was running from a madman who wanted to take his life. He had lost everything – his wife, his best friend, his mentor, his job, and seemingly, his opportunity to be the next king of Israel. He had been anointed the king by Samuel the prophet, handpicked by God Himself. But now he was little more than a fugitive with a bounty on his head and no place to call his home. Yet in spite of all that had happened in his life, David had a thirst for God. He craved God more than anything else. His circumstances produced in him a hunger and thirst for God that was insatiable. Because He knew that God was the solution to ALL his problems. God was NOT just the source to supply his needs. God was who David needed and he knew it. A palace wouldn’t improve David’s life. An end to his fugitive lifestyle would not meet David’s need. Better food wouldn’t satisfy David’s needs. In fact, David said, “You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy” (Psalms 63:5 NLT). David was in the wilderness and was learning that God was all he really needed. Nothing more. Listen to his words: “If I’m sleepless at midnight, I spend the hours in grateful reflection. Because you’ve always stood up for me, I’m free to run and play” (Psalms 63:6-7 NLT). Is that how you feel when you find yourself in a wilderness moment? When you wake up at night, unable to sleep, is God the first thing that come to your mind? Are you more grumpy than grateful? Does your soul pursue God or does it seek solutions to your problems? David’s lack was a reminder of what he really needed: God. What does your lack make you thirsty for?

Father, I want to want You more than anything else. When I find myself in need of anything, may I realize that what I really need is You. Nothing can supply my needs like You can. More money only makes me less dependent on You. More peace only makes me less likely to turn to You because I think all is well. More friends give me less time for You. More material possessions only tend to make me less satisfied. What I need is You. May my soul increasingly thirst for You and nothing else. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 17; 35

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Where Do You Turn When Times Get Tough?

“I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.” ­– Psalm 17:6 NLT

David had been slandered, betrayed, hunted like an animal, abandoned, falsely accused, relegated to the life of a fugitive, humiliated, harassed, and almost killed numerous times. In other words, he had experienced some pretty tough moments in his life. Just like many of us. But what did he do when times got tough? David seemed to have a plan. He turned to God. He cried out to God. He poured out his heart to God. Sure, there were times when David took matters into his own hands, but more often than not, he turned to God. The Psalms are David’s personal journal to his heavenly Father, where he shares his most intimate and intense feelings. He pulls no punches. He doesn’t sugarcoat his feelings. His words are raw and honest. Because he seems to know that God is the only one who can help him in his time of distress. He doesn’t waste time telling his problems to someone else. He goes straight to the one who has the capacity and the compassion to do something about it.

David asks God to “hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from an honest heart” (Psalm 17:1 NLT). He tells God “I am praying to you because I know you will answer” (Psalm 17:6 NLT). David knows he can call out to God and get a response. The size of his problems are no problem for God. The number of his enemies isn’t an issue with God. David knows his God will rescue, vindicate, justify, restore, repay evil for good, set all things right, and prove David’s innocence. Now, that didn’t prevent David from giving God a few helpful hints as to how He might want to deal with his enemies, but at the end of the day, David was willing to let God do what was best. His job was to cry out. God’s job was to respond. And David was confident He would. And when He did, David promised to “tell everyone of your justice and goodness” (Psalm 35:28 NLT). He said, “I will praise you all day long” (Psalm 35:28 NLT). There was no doubt in David’s mind that God would intervene.

In a sense, you and I are living in a wilderness experience like David. We are aliens and strangers, fugitives, living in a hostile land relentlessly pursued by a merciless enemy. Yet we have been called by God and anointed with His Holy Spirit. We have been declared His heirs and children, adopted into His family. But we find ourselves constantly harassed by our enemy. He is out to destroy us. He wants us dead. Like David, we have been promised a place in the palace, but we are not there yet. We are living in the wilderness and we face constant struggles. So where do we turn? Who do we turn to when times get tough? Our finances? Our own abilities? Do we come up with our own plan of action? Do we attempt to save ourselves? David was learning that there was only one place to turn in the tough times. To God. Jesus said, “the thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 NLT). He wants to give us life in all its fullness – overflowing with abundance. But we have to turn to Him. We have to rely on Him. We have to trust Him with our lives, even in the midst of these desert days.

Father, like David, I am slowly learning to turn to You. I am learning to cry out to You. But I have a long way to go. I am still tempted to take matters into my own hands and solve my own problems. Thank You for Your patience as You wait for me to wake up and realize that You alone are my source of fullness of life. You alone can rescue, restore and redeem my situation. Never let me forget that. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

1 Samuel 27

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

When Doubt Leads To Despair and Deception.

“But David kept thinking to himself, ‘Someday Saul is going to get me. The best thing for me to do is escape to the Philistines. Then Saul will stop hunting for me, and I will finally be safe.‘” ­– 1 Samuel 27:1 NLT

Consulting with yourself can be hazardous to your health. When we stop talking to God and start taking advice from ourselves, it usually doesn’t end well. And it usually starts with a little doubt. We begin to wonder if God is really going to take care of us. Is He really going to come through and accomplish all He has promised? Things start going a little south and we decide that God is either not there or He doesn’t care, so we take matters into our own hands. Our doubt leads us to despair. That’s what seems to have happened to David in this chapter. Listen to what he says: “Someday Saul is going to get me.” David had been running and hiding for some time now. He was tired. He was frustrated. And in spite of the fact that he had been anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel, and had seen God preserve his life from Saul time and time again, he began to conclude that he was going to die someday at the hands of Saul. He doubted God’s word. His doubt led to despair. His despair led to a really poor decision. He and his men return to Gath – the hometown of Goliath – the man David had killed. David is so down that his decision to go find refuge with the enemy sounded plausible and preferable to running from Saul. David seemed to forget his last experience in Gath when he had to pretend he was certifiably crazy just to escape. No, David consults with himself and comes up with the great idea to flee to the Philistines for safety.

Nowhere in this chapter do you see the name of God. David doesn’t consult with God as he has done before. He doesn’t seek God’s advice or counsel. David had concluded that he was going to die if he stayed in the land of Judah, in spite of the promises of God and His prophet. David was human. He wasn’t divine. His life as a fugitive had taken its toll. He couldn’t see any other way out of his circumstance, so he made a decision. But it does not appear that his was the decision God wanted him to make. Yet in spite of his ill-conceived, self-determined plan, God remained with him. God continued to use him. David may have suffered a lapse of faith, but he was still committed to God and His cause.

David’s doubt led to despair. His despair led to a poor decision. And that decision led to a life of deception. In order for David to remain in the land of the Philistines, he had to deceive king Achish into believing he was on his side. Yet David also wanted to remain true to his God. King Achish seems to have agreed to let David and his 600 warriors remain in his land because he was convinced that David had turned against Saul. Achish believed that David and his men would fight against Saul and the people of Israel because they were now sworn enemies of Saul. And David was willing to give Achish’s conclusion support. He asks king Achish to give him a town in which to live with his men, and the king gives him the town of Ziklag. David uses a false humility as his rationale for moving out of the royal city. But his real motive was to use Ziklag as a base of operations to run raids into the land of Judah to fight against Israel’s enemies. For almost a year and a half, David kept up a deception that led Achish to believe he was attacking Israelite cities, while in reality, David was wiping out the enemies of Israel. In fact, David was accomplishing the will of God. He was clearing the Promised Land of the enemy just as God had commanded and the people had failed to do all these years. But David was mixing his obedience with deception. He was doing God’s will, but in his own way. Always a dangerous combination.

David would experience a measure of success with his plan. He would escape the constant threat of Saul. He would successfully wipe out the enemies of Israel. But he would also have to live a life for almost a year and a half. And as we will find out, his decision would ultimately result in destruction. God’s will done man’s way never ends well. David’s compromise with the enemy was going to have negative ramifications. He may have escaped Saul, but he was not going to escape the results of his god-less decision. Seeking God’s will is always the best way. Leaning on our own understanding is always dangerous. Allowing our doubt to led to despair will always result in a life of deception and end in destruction.

Father, I have seen time and time again in my life where my doubt in You has caused me to despair and then it has led me to make self-conceived plans that never end up turning out quite like I had planned. Help me to trust You at all times. But thank You that even when I doubt and make bad plans, You never leave me. You let me learn from my mistakes. You teach me to trust You more by exposing that I can’t be trusted. My ways are not Your ways. My plans will never measure up to Yours. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

1 Samuel 25-26

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Recognizing the Hand of God.

“The LORD gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when the LORD placed you in my power, for you are the LORD’s anointed one.” ­– 1 Samuel 26:23 NLT

Life has its ups and downs. There are days when things go well, and days when things go poorly. At times we can make decisions that are totally in line with God’s will and other times when we stubbornly and stupidly decide to do things our way. But as believers there is one thing that is always consistent about our lives – the sovereign presence of God. In these two stories found in chapters 25 and 26 of 1 Samuel we are reminded of God’s sovereign purpose and presence in the life of David. In the story of Abigail, we see a rather hot-headed David reacting to an undeserved snub by the foolish Nabal. This wealthy man had the audacity to refuse David’s request for food for his men after they had protected Nabal’s shepherds and livestock in the wilderness. David’s reaction was to wipe out Nabal and every other male who worked for him. He is hot and it appears that David has had just about enough of being treated like a second-class citizen. He has been hiding in caves, running from Saul, and eking out a living for he and his men for some time now. So Nabal’s response pushes David over the edge. The only thing that prevented David from following through with his ill-conceived plan was the quick-thinking of Nabal’s wife, Abigail. She intervenes, bringing David and his men a peace offering and pleading with David to spare Nabal’s worthless life. She appeals to David to reconsider what he is thinking and not to avenge himself against Nabal. Her intervention spared David from doing something he would have regretted. But was this just quick-thinking on the part of Abigail? Or was it the sovereign hand of God directing her decisions and giving her the words to say? I tend to think it was the latter. David seems to recognize that it was God who had sent Abigail. “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murdering the man and carrying out vengeance with my own hands” (1 Samuel 25:32-33 NLT). God had used Abigail to prevent David from acting rashly and potentially harming his future legacy.

In chapter 26 we see the hand of God again as David is presented with yet another opportunity to eliminate the threat to his life by taking the life of Saul. In a situation similar to that found in chapter 24, David is betrayed by the Ziphites, resulting in Saul and his 3,000 mercenaries coming after David in the wilderness. In the middle of the night, David and one of his men sneak into Saul’s camp, finding him sound asleep (thanks to God), and David takes Saul’s spear. He rejects the counsel of his own man to see this as a God-given opportunity to kill Saul, even though it was probably tempting to view things that way. Instead, David appeals to Saul and claims his own innocence. He acknowledges that God had given Saul into his hand, but that he refused to take Saul’s life. David saw God’s hands all over this situation. He had used the betrayal of the Ziphites and the anger-driven response of Saul to bring him right to that exact spot. God had caused Saul and his entire camp to sleep so soundly that they never heard David come into the camp. But David also knew that God was going to deal with Saul just like He did with Nabal – according to His own terms and in His own timing. David could trust God to take care of everything. He didn’t have to take matters into his own hands.

God was there and David recognized it. But do I? Do I see the hand of God at work in and around my life? He is sovereign and in complete control. I don’t need to panic. He prevents me from doing things I don’t need to do and then does for me things I would never think to do. He uses others in my life to guide and direct me. He uses circumstances to teach me. He is in large and in charge, and I can trust Him.

Father, help me to see You more clearly and more consistently in and around me life. I know You are there, but I don’t always recognize or acknowledge Your hand in my life. Open my eyes. Help me see. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 140-142

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

He Knows My Path.

“When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, You knew my path.” ­– Psalm 142:3a NASB

Even when my strength leaves me, you know my footsteps. That is how the NET Bible translates verse 3 of Psalm 142. When David was weak, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling with despair, he still knew that God was fully aware of his circumstances and was watching over him. Yet even though David knew God was aware of what was going on, it didn’t stop him from crying out and pouring out his heart. He told God exactly how he was feeling. No mincing words. No pulling punches. David wrote honestly, freely, and expectantly. He knew God was listening and that God would respond.

David may not have had anybody on his side, but he knew he had God as a resource and a refuge. We need to learn with David that while others may disappoint us or even abandon us, God never will. He is faithful all the time and is there when we call on Him. We will never tell Him anything He doesn’t already know, but He still wants to hear from us. Our cries to God express our dependency like nothing else. They acknowledge our need for Him and trust in Him.

Father, I don’t cry to You enough. Maybe it’s because I don’t sense You watching and listening. Maybe I doubt that You will really answer. But I want to be like David, completely honest and open with You about my feelings and my frustrations. Not to complain, but because I believe You are listening and that You will respond. May my prayer life be an expression of my faith life. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 56, 120

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

God Is On My Side!

“This I know: God is on my side. O God, I praise your word. Yes, LORD, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” ­– Psalm 56:9-11 NLT

David was in deep trouble. He had sauntered into the Philistine city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath, who David had killed in battle, and he was wearing Goliath’s sword and seeking shelter. What was he thinking? Why in the world would he run right into the enemy’s hands expecting them to protect him from Saul? David had killed their champion. He had put an end to the Philistine lopsided oppression of Israel. So when he showed up in Gath, the people are shocked that David has walked right into their hands. King Achish is almost persuaded by David to provide the shelter he seeks. Maybe Achish thinks David can be turned against the Israelites and become the new Philistine champion. He could become their new secret weapon. But the people see trouble. They don’t trust David or believe his story. Suddenly David sees the insanity of what he has done. He has stepped into a hornets nest. So his solution is to feign insanity. The people think he is crazy to have shown up in the first place, so he obliges them by acting like he’s crazy. He puts on quite a performance, drooling in his beard and acting as if he has lost his mind. Not exactly the kind of actions to help build self-esteem. But it does the trick. It convinces Achish that David is nuts, so he releases him, and David escapes.

And sometimes after the events of this day, David writes, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You” (Psalm 56:3 NASB). Do you think David was afraid that day? I think he was petrified. He was in a predicament that looked like it couldn’t end in anything but disaster, and somehow he had escaped with his life. He was still alive and he was learning to trust in God. “O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:4 NLT). “I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:11 NLT).

In spite of all that was going on around him and happening to him, David was learning that God really was on his side. And with God on his side, he didn’t have to worry. God had rescued him from death that day in Gath. He may have put on a good performance, but David knew that it was God who had rescued him and not his acting ability. “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life–giving light” (Psalm 56:13 NLT). David had made the decision to seek refuge with the enemy. His choice had resulted in a really bad situation. But God was still with him and for him. God rescued David that day. Just like He does you and me each and every day of our lives. God is on our side. He is intimately aware of every circumstance of our lives. He never falls asleep on the job or turns His back and forgets about us. He knows every tear we cry, every difficulty we encounter, every stupid decision we make, every predicament we put ourselves into. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT). He knows. He cares. He rescues. He restores. He is on your side. What can mere man do to you?

Father, I have put myself in a lot of bad circumstances over the years, but I am still here. Not because I am smart and clever, but because You are faithful and merciful. You are on my side. You are so aware of all my circumstances and You use them to teach me to trust You and not myself. Help me to see Your hand at work in my life. Give me the capacity to look back and see You at work in those moments when all was lost and failure seemed inescapable. You were on my side and You delivered, so I will put my trust in You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalm 52

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Betrayed, Yet Blessed.

“But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it.” ­– Psalm 52:8-9 NASB

David has just been ratted out by Doeg, the Edomite. David, on the run from Saul, has made his way to Nob, to find help from Ahimelech the priest. But little did David know that Saul’s chief shepherd, Doeg, was also there in Nob. When Doeg sees that David has come there to find shelter, he makes a bee line back to Saul to give him the news of David’s whereabouts. Doeg’s betrayal of David would lead to the destruction of the city of Nob and the deaths of all its inhabitants, along with 85 priests. This man’s desire to find favor with the king would end up costing the lives of hundreds of innocent men, women, and children.

In this Psalm, written at the very time all this was happening, David compares the Doeg’s betrayal with God’s blessing. Doeg meant to David harm. His words were deceitful and destructive. But God meant David only good. In fact, David compares himself to an olive tree in the house of God. The olive tree lives for an incredibly long time. I was able to see this first hand when I got the opportunity to visit Israel. In the Garden of Gethsemane you can actually see trees that go back all the way to the time of Christ. Many of the trees in the garden today would have been alive when Jesus prayed there the night of His betrayal. David says that he is like one of those trees. He is prosperous and fruitful in spite of all the harm that Doeg meant to bring on his head. Doeg represents all those who do not turn to God, but choose to seek their refuge elsewhere. “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7 NLT). Doeg was putting his hope in Saul. He wanted to find favor with the king and was willing to turn his back on God to do so. He was probably hoping to get some kind of reward from Saul for squealing on David. His desire for wealth and recognition drove him to do things that were directly opposed to God. But David puts his confidence in God. He acknowledges that God is in control of his life, regardless of how things may look at the moment. What is amazing is that David is writing all this while he is running and hiding from Saul. He is not writing this from the comfort of his palace, long after Saul is dead and gone and any threat to his life is over. No, he is penning these words in the middle of the mess that is his life. Yet he is able to say, “I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it” (Psalm 52:9 NASB). God is prospering David even in the midst of all that is going on. Doeg can’t stop the hand of God. Neither can Saul. David knew that the blessings of God were not circumstantial. He knew that he couldn’t just look at his surroundings and assume that he was either blessed or not blessed based on what was going on at the time. Like an olive tree, David was going to go through his fair share of storms, dark nights, cold spells, droughts, and days of difficulty. But he would remain green and prosperous because God was with him. We want the prosperity without the pain. We want the fruitfulness without having to remain faithful when the fruit doesn’t come as expected. The betrayal of Doeg was readily apparent, but the blessings of God are not always as easy to see. It takes faith to wait on the Lord and trust that He will bless in His time and in His way.

Father, I want to learn to see myself as a green olive tree, growing old and prospering under Your care – regardless of what I see happening around me. I want to be like David, and see Your hand at work in my life even when things don’t appear to be going the way I think they should. Give me eyes to see behind the scenes that dominate my life and see You in the background, faithfully working Your plan to perfection. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Psalms 31; 34

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Rock. Refuge. Redeemer.

“Disciples so often get into trouble; still, GOD is there every time.” ­– Psalm 34:19 MSG

The Psalms are not pleasant-sounding platitudes written by some theologian sitting in the comfort of his study. They are the open and honest thoughts of a man who has seen his world fall apart. David is writing on the run. He is living in caves and hiding from Saul, who is out to kill him. Little has gone right for him lately. He is a fugitive with a bounty on his head and no place to call home. He’s got more enemies than friends and more than enough reasons to be miffed at God for his circumstances. Yet what does David say?

“I trust in the LORD.” – Psalm 31:6 NLT

“I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love.” – Psalm 31:7 NLT

“But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!'” – Psalm 31:14 NLT

“How great is Your goodness…” – Psalm 31:19 NASB

“Love the Lord, all you faithful followers of his!” – Psalm 31:23 NET

In the midst of all the suffering and sorrow he was experiencing, David was learning to trust God. His affliction was actually increasing his affection for God. To David, God was a rock, a stronghold, a fortress, and a source of strength. Why? Because that is what he needed at this point in his life. He needed all those things and he was discovering that God could deliver them all. Had it not been for this period of his life, as difficult as it was, he would not be learning these truths about his God. David was in God’s advanced program for leadership development. He was transforming David from being a shepherd of sheep to being a shepherd of a nation. Over in Psalm 78 we read that God “chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens. He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants – God’s own people, Israel” (Psalm 78:70-71 NLT). David was learning to be a shepherd. But to do so, he first had to learn about the shepherding qualities of God Himself. And he would learn that best by being shepherded by God.

The more David experienced the grace, mercy, care, concern, and strong, steady hand of God in his life, the more he came to praise Him. “I bless GOD every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe GOD; if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy: Join me in spreading the news; together let’s get the word out” (Psalm 34:1-3 MSG). David’s experiences were expanding his knowledge of God. “By experience you will see that the Lord is good; happy is the man who has faith in him” (Psalm 34:8 BBE). A cave in the wilderness had become David’s cathedral. His pain was transformed into praise. In the process of hiding from Saul, he had found God. His pain had resulted in great gain! His life was anything but easy, but it was resulting in a deeper relationship with God that he would have found in no other way. That’s why he could say, “Disciples so often get into trouble; still, GOD is there every time” (Psalm 34:19 MSG). What about you? Can you say that same thing? Do you sense God’s affection in the midst of your affliction? Does your pain result in praise? Have you discovered God to be your rock, your refuge, and your redeemer? David knew his life was in God’s hands. We need to discover and embrace that same truth. Yet we doubt it daily. Why? Because we look at our circumstances and determine that whatever it is we are going through CANNOT be from God. We let difficulty deter us from God instead of drive us to Him. David saw his difficulties as God’s opportunity to act on his behalf. His weakness was simply a chance for God to reveal His strength. And He still wants to show Himself strong today.

Father, too often I let what I see as negative circumstances drive me away from You instead of to You. I fail to see You in the midst of life’s problems. Rather than turn to You, I try to figure out a way to get rid of my problem myself. I seek comfort rather than a relationship with You. Today Lord, may I learn to lean on You. May I see past the problem and look at the solution – You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org