FRIDAY July 26, 2019

A Familiar Sword

And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
1 Samuel 21:8-9

In fear, David continued in falsehood. He did not speak truth to Ahimelech. He was not on the business of the King Saul. David asked the priest if there were any available weapons for him to use. Interestingly, the priest brought up the defeat of Goliath in the Valley of Elah. The priest knew where the sword of Goliath was kept, it was wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod––a sleeveless garment worn by Jewish priests.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit wanted to speak to David’s heart and remind him how God had gone before him in his past victories. I really think so. God had gone before David when he went against the giant! Did he not remember? Perhaps David’s mind was elsewhere, he was fleeing, running away from King Saul and he did not get the connection.

David wrote other psalms that share his heavy heart under the pressures he felt as Saul continued to pursue him. When in the cave of Adullam David wrote:

My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword …They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me… (Psalm 57:4-6).

Have you become downcast and like David, and under the enemies pressure forgotten God’s past victories and all He has done in your life? It is time to make your heart steadfast and trust God to be your refuge.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.
~Psalm 57:1~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!