Princess Michal fell in love with David, but she was not the one Saul promised to the hero…
1 Samuel 18:6-7,16-17..20, 28 (NLT)
6When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. 7This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” 16…All Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle. 17One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife…” 20In the meantime, Saul’s [youngest] daughter Michal had fallen in love with David… 28…and how much Saul’s daughter Michal loved him.
Dearest Rizpah,
As I sit in this quiet chamber, my thoughts are aflutter like the petals of a wind-tossed rose. The air is thick with the scent of victory, and yet my heart is swirling with emotions too intricate to untangle. I find myself compelled to share them with you, for who else could understand the labyrinthine corridors of this palace, the veiled intentions, the unspoken desires [1]?
You must have heard the clamor, the jubilant cries that filled the air when David slew Goliath. A shepherd boy, Rizpah, a mere youth, yet he stood where warriors hesitated. I watched him from afar, his sling in hand, his face a portrait of serene conviction. And in that moment, my heart was drawn to him, as if by some celestial force.
Yet, my joy is tinged with a shadow, a dark cloud that I cannot dispel. Father had promised Merab’s hand to the hero who would defeat the Philistine giant. Merab, who has already given her heart to Adriel. How could Father be so blind, so callous to the existing affections of his own daughter? It’s as if he sees us as mere pawns in his grand schemes, bereft of will or want.
But David, ah, he is different. I sensed no hidden motives in his eyes—yes, his eyes—they spoke of a higher calling. He fought not for the hand of a princess or the wealth of a kingdom, but for the glory of God and the honor of Israel. This gives me hope, Rizpah, a fragile yet fervent hope that perhaps, just perhaps, even pawns with hearts could lean toward what they yearn for.
I wonder, Rizpah, if Merab has considered this. She has always been the dutiful daughter, but does duty fill her heart as love might? I think of her happiness with Adriel and wonder if her feelings for him could be a guiding light in these confusing times. Perhaps you could share your wisdom with her, as you have so often shared it with me. Can love truly flourish in the gardens of political machinations and familial obligations? Or will it wither away, choked by the thorns of expedience and expectation?
And so, I find myself at a crossroads, Rizpah, between supporting Merab to be with David or rooting for the day when both of us can marry the ones we love. I am compelled to ask, must one’s motives be purely selfless when entangled in this intricate tapestry of love and duty? When does the pursuit of personal happiness cross the line into selfish manipulation, even if it promises joy for others? And how does one discern the right path when each turn seems to lead further into a maze of moral ambiguity?
I would be most grateful for your wisdom, Rizpah, as I navigate this labyrinth of conflicting emotions and intentions. Can one truly honor God while navigating the murky waters of life, or must we sacrifice one for the sanctity of the other?
Yours in perplexity,
Michal
“Can one truly honor God while navigating the murky waters of life, or must we sacrifice one for the sanctity of the other? Can the path of desires be the same path of righteousness?”
We don’t really know more details but 1 Samuel 18:19–20 recorded that, “So when the time came for Saul to give his daughter Merab in marriage to David, he gave her instead to Adriel, a man from Meholah. In the meantime, Saul’s daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and Saul was delighted when he heard about it.” I took creative license to assume that she already had the love interest at this point as a hypothetical case.
[1] The Bible recorded that Rizpah was a concubine of Saul later on (1 Samuel 21:11)
The path of desires can indeed be the path of righteousness if our desires are aligned with God’s.
Isn’t that one of the ultimate acts of surrender in our sanctification (process of becoming more and more like Christ)?
The more intimate our walk with Jesus, the more our very desires become aligned with His, the more the people/things that are on His heart become our heart’s desire.
I believe that all of us as children of god, we are able to walk in a righteous path if we are willing to repent our sins, see what we’ve done wrong and really pray for his forgiveness. Here on earth, our path should we choose can be dark or vice versa, we listen god’s teachings, there’s always a chance that you will walk out to the path that will lead to flowers and sunshine ( I love flowers and sunshine .🥰)
In my early twenties and to my mid 30s my path of desire was always drugs, though I was somewhat still responsible in other parts of my life, that’s some murky water that I was sunk into, really deep water to where at the end of, it was getting hard to swim back out but then I start to pray , I changed my way of thinking , I open my heart again to god , in return I am now at a much better place. I must always keep in mind that everything can be taken away from me in a flash and I’m getting older, I don’t think I’ll have the energy to swim back out of those deep murky water that I was once in .
God, please help me know what’s right from wrong, let those desires that I have pass and keep me safe to walk in your path that will lead me to eternal
Life with you. Amen .🙏
The path of our desires whether it be for status, money or love can lead to righteousness if we bring those desires to God. He will guide us to be at a place where he can use us to be a blessing to others. We do see people with great status and success that loves God and follow his ways. It’s fine to desire love and be loved. David’s success was all God. David’s heart loves God and everything that happens in his life falls into place because David seeks God first.
But it’s not so easy as we tend to desire things that that may not be good for us. And hard to know if our desires is for self gains. But through God’s grace, he will help transform our hearts.
I think yes, we can always choose to honor God in every circumstance, especially when we’re navigating through the perplexity of life. It’s hard tho! I also think the path of desires can be the same path of righteousness when we lean into God, our desires align with His. But of course, it’s very hard! It can be hard to give up our own desires to follow God but I trust that God knows best & His path of righteousness will be far more rewarding in the light of eternity compared to our temporary happiness.
I believe you can truly honor God while navigating the murky waters of life. We have to understand that we are easily manipulated by our emotions and desires. And it is not wrong to want something for ourselves. But we need to express our feelings and desires to God. God know us the best and He knows what is right for us. If I think something is right for me but I didn’t think about is it what God think is right. Then I am not honoring God and I will have to make a sacrificial decision. Because I believe God has the perfect plan for all of us. So I’m willing to believe in His paths and give up on what I want. Of course I desire the best for myself and that is exactly what God desire for me too. Therefore, I desire what God want me to do, so the path of desire can be the same as the path of righteousness.
(from Kevin)
I do believe it is possible to honor God while navigating the murky waters of life. I believe that I have been a living proof of this. When I was navigating the “murky waters”, I felt like God was the light at the end of the tunnel for me. It felt like he was extending his arm out to me and wanted me to grab others along the way. Having something bumpy come across your life doesn’t mean we need to bring others down. Being able to shine a little light of God towards someone can really help them in their path. I think the path of desires can be the same path of righteousness if it’s for the right reasons. I can also see how the path of desires can be used for themselves rather than God. It really depends on how people use the path of desires which could link with the path of righteousness if that makes sense.
I think if your desires are aligned with God’s desires then I believe so. I think if what you are doing isn’t what God is intending there will be a lot of issues that come up where you will question a lot about yourself. But nonetheless God will lead you back to where he wants you at the end of the day.
I would say that it can definitely happen when someone truly honors God while navigating the murky waters of life. It doesn’t matter too much in which situations we encounter God; what matters is how we accept God as our life’s guidance. In contrast, I believe people will feel God’s love and trust Him more when they stumble in darkness. They don’t know what to do, and they need a light – which is God – so I think they will experience God more in those circumstances.
If we all believe in God and love Him with all our spirit, we will do what He wants us to do. At that moment, our desires will align with the path of righteousness because those who live in God’s word will do His word. God’s word is the only righteous path. However, if we want to follow our body’s desires, it is not the right way and will become a wicked path. So, we need to choose whether to do what God wants or what we want.
From sister Rose
I think the path of desire can be aligned with the path of righteousness. I think if we surrender our life to Christ, seek his guidance then the desires we have would most likely be aligned to how we ought to live for Him. The desires of our hearts could even be the desire to follow him and obey his words.
In more practical ways, I think the desires that we as humans may have is the desire to be comfortable, succeed in life. Those desires are all ok as long as they don’t become our idols and we put that above God. He could bless us in accomplishing those desires and use our talents to serve and giving to those who are in need. I don’t think that having desires is wrong, but if our desires causes us or others to sin then yes, that would not be in the path of righteousness but if our desires are in obedience then yes, it would align to righteousness.
I believe that we can honor God while navigating the murky waters of life only in certain ways, such as prayer. As long as we pray and communicate with God regularly, He will certainly clear the fog that hides us and guide us to the right path.
It is difficult to say that the path of desire is completely the same path of righteousness because we all have some sort of earthly desires and temptations. However, by aligning our desires with God’s will and seeking His guidance, we can strive to walk a righteous path that reflects our faith and values.