So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth... David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan.
1 Samuel 19:18 … 20:1a (NLT)
The wisdom of Samuel enable David to write this letter to his wife, which he will give it to Jonathan to deliver to her:
My Dearest Michal,
As I sit here in the sanctuary of Samuel’s presence, I find myself enveloped in a profound sense of gratitude and awe. The Prophet of God credited your quick thinking and courage with granting us this moment of quiet reflection. It was not just for the divine protection that has shielded me, but it was the earthly angel through whom that protection was rendered—you, my love.
On that perilous night, the night when death cast its shadow at our doorstep. I’ve sung praises to the Lord [1], my fortress and my refuge, yet failed to see that you, too, were the walls that shielded me, the gates that set me free. You were the vigilant watchman, the discerning eye that saw danger where I saw only the familiar walls of our home. You were the embodiment of that divine protection. You were right to warn me, to urge me to flee. Your wisdom, your urgency—they were divine whispers, God’s voice clothed in mortal timbre [2]. And for that, I am eternally grateful.
I confess, in the whirlwind of crisis, in the rush to find sanctuary, I may not have fully recognized or appreciated the magnitude of your role. For that, I ask your forgiveness. In the fervor to see God’s hand in all things, we sometimes overlook the human vessels He employs. It’s a humbling realization, one that reminds me that even a heart seeking God can miss the divine in the details. You were His instrument, Michal, His vessel of deliverance.
Your love, your courage, they were not just your virtues shining through; they were God’s grace manifest. And for that, I am profoundly grateful, not just to you but to the God who works through you. So let this letter be not just a note of thanks but a testament to a divine love that works through human hands. We are more than just husband and wife; we are co-sojourners on a heavenly journey, each a guardian angel to the other.
As we continue to navigate the uncertain paths that lie ahead, I am preparing to leave this sanctuary to seek out Jonathan again despite the danger to both of us. We meet not just to say our farewells, but to seek divine guidance on whether our paths are meant to diverge or remain entwined. I will entrust this letter to him to give it to you as I will entrust you to God until we meet again.
With all my love and gratitude,
David
Share with your friends “Is there someone in your life whom you may have overlooked as an instrument of God’s grace and protection? How can you acknowledge and appreciate their role in your spiritual journey?”
[1] Psalm 59 of David has a title relating to this incident.
[2] That night, David didn’t ran away but returned to his house and he probably won’t be on the run until “Michal, David’s wife, warned him, ‘If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead by morning'” in 1 Samuel 19:11
On my spiritual journey, God has blessed me tremendously with many friendships, relationships, and mentors. Many have guided, supported, and encouraged me through different seasons of life. One couple in particular is Bumble and Jenney. I have known them since I was in middle school when I first went to church. They have supported me in many different ways-spiritually, financially, relationally, and physically (fed me yummy food ?). I appreciate their guidance and support through the good times and especially through the rough. God has used them well to be a light and a blessing to so many. I am encouraged by how God continues to use their lives to be an extension of His sacrificial love.
I am thankful that God has blessed me with many people who have helped me in my spiritual journey. On a personal level, I would say that PJ made a great impact by showing me the depth of God’s truth. He was always available for me when I had questions about the Bible and showed me the truth in a very gracious manner. There were many times when I wanted to argue with him because of what I believed, which was influenced by what I had been taught since I was little, but he always had a gentle smile on his face and a very soft voice, guiding and challenging me to the truth of God.
“Is there someone in your life whom you may have overlooked as an instrument of God’s grace and protection? How can you acknowledge and appreciate their role in your spiritual journey?”
I lived apart from my parents during my middle school and high school years. Although my parents were oceans away they were always praying for me. Through their written letters which I tearfully read each time I received their love. Even til this day they pray for me and my family everyday. I didn’t realize how impactful their prayers were until I experienced God’s grace and mercy in God’s timing. I firmly believe their prayers were answered when I was protected by many occasions that could have gone wrong. By their act of obedience in trusting in God for my well-being through prayers I am able to see the impact they had in my spiritual grow.
(from Charles)
I do not know if there is someone in my life who I have overlooked as an instrument of God’s grace and protection similar to how Michal was with David. I think there were random events with people that sort of summed into an instrument of grace. The examples of servant leadership and patience people provided at my church when I was a child and a random stranger who prayed for me when I was returning home from just tearing my ACL in my knee were the catalysts that helped me eventually return to God. That is why I believe that no matter what we do for people, whether we see an immediate change or not is important because we do not know the sum of events that may lead someone to God. I pray that I would have the privilege to be in that chain like the various people were for me.
From sister Becky
During the initial outbreak of covid before the vaccination where people were losing their lives from this virus, I was spared from covid during this outbreak despite my encountered with covid patients on-a weekly basis. This entire time unbeknownst to me a missionary friend was praying for me daily to not catch covid. I didn’t realized she was praying for me daily to not catch covid until after the fact. I finally did catch covid in Dec 2022 with the immunity of 2 vaccines and 2 booster shot. Definitely God‘s hand of protection was on me during this time with her contribution of lifting me up in prayers for God’s protection.
She is one of the reason why I have join her to Vietnam Mission trip the last 5 times and will be my sixth time this November.
To the amusement, she and her husband till this day haven’t caught covid despite their frequent flights to Vietnam a couple of times a year. God is giving them health so they can finish their roles as missionaries because “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
I think for me, it is also my mother who I overlooked as an instrument of God’s grace and protection. Of course, back then, I didn’t like it when my mom forced me to go to church. I would wonder why I need to know and always find a way to not go. But now looking back, I can see that she cares for me and always wants me to be faithful to God. Even to this day, she still reminds me to continue to trust in God and encourages me whenever I go through hard times in ministry. I can see that she cares for both me and my brothers as she reminds me to pray for him to come back to Christ. She doesn’t say a lot but I can see it through her actions. Now she is my inspiration in my faith and I thank God that I have someone who I can look up to in my journey of faith
I believe some people I over looked were a lot of teachers in highschool. As I get older I see the sacrifices they made to help us as students become more Christ like and how they taught us and disciplined us in so many ways that even though as a naive student I didn’t want to hear it they would still try their best to drill it into us.
I am truly grateful to the RP community for welcoming me and including me as one of its members. I would like to express that Ai and Daniel have been instruments of God’s grace and protection in my life. When I first arrived in the state, they invited me to RP and consistently took me to church. They frequently shared their experiences as Christians, explaining how they became Christians and what they do daily as believers. They also brought me to a Christian orchestra concert, providing me with the opportunity to listen to worship songs. Just as Amber mentioned, regardless of how long it takes, I aspire to be someone who can convey God’s grace and protection to the next generation.