Today we read (a fictional) letter from David to his father based on 1 Samuel 16:14-23 before the flashback to 1 Samuel 15
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd”… 21So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer… 23whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.
Dear Father,
I find myself in the King’s court, a world so unlike our pastures and hills. The palace walls echo with whispers, and the air is thick with a heaviness that clings to the soul. I have done as you instructed, presenting our humble gifts to the King [1]. I dwell near him, my days filled with the reading of God’s Words to the King at dawn and my presence required by his side as the sun journeys across the sky.
Father, the King is a man in torment. Once, they say, he was a vessel filled with God’s Spirit [2], brimming with wisdom and valor. But now? An empty vessel, haunted by a spirit not of God [3]. When this spirit seizes him, his eyes darken like a stormy sky, and his soul trembles like a leaf in the wind. It is then that my fingers dance upon the harp’s strings, and its melodies become a balm to his restless spirit.
I have heard tales, Father, tales that weigh heavy on my heart. Stories of a King who, in moments that demanded unwavering obedience to God, faltered. Once, he offered a burnt sacrifice in haste, unwilling to wait for the Prophet Samuel [4]. And then, a graver act—his failure to annihilate the Amalekites, sparing King Agag and seizing the finest of their flocks [5]. These acts, Father, have severed him from the Divine, leaving him in this wretched state.
In my quest for understanding, I have penned another letter, one addressed to Prophet Samuel. I dare not send it directly, for that would be presumptuous of me. Instead, I have enclosed it with this letter, entrusting you to relay my questions to the Prophet. My soul yearns to comprehend how a man, once filled with God’s Spirit, could find himself so forsaken.
I find myself pondering, in the quietude of my thoughts, a haunting question: “When the path laid by God is clear before me, will I tread upon it in full obedience, or will I stray, guided by my own flawed wisdom?”
I long for the warmth of home, for the comfort of family. Pray for me, Father, that I may serve with a heart unblemished, bringing honor to God and to the house of Jesse.
With a soul yearning for the Divine and a heart filled with love for you,
David
Share with your friends, “When God’s instructions are clear, do you follow them completely, or do you make compromises based on your own understanding or your own desires?” (I know, I know, trick question, lol, but we are going easy on Monday. You don’t need to get into the specific if you don’t want to.
[1] “a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.” according to 1 Sam. 16:20
[2] Samuel pronounced it in 1 Samuel 10:6-10 then the Holy Spirit came upon Saul in 1 Samuel 10:10 and 1 Samuel 11:6
[3] “Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul…” 1 Samuel 16:14
[4] 1 Samuel 13:8-14 recorded this incident
[5] 1 Samuel 15 was the sermon last Sunday
From Celeste: Gods instructions could be as easy as praying every morning and every evening, it could be like Christine said to be loving , giving , forgiving to those around you. So today and everyday I do each and everyone of those things as best as I can. I stay in course with my recovery because those are clear instructions to follow . God have laid out the foundation for us to be his children of god . I am thankful and so grateful as everyday that passes , I have a better understanding of everything around me and I pray for clarity and guidance and not pray for material stuff.
(from Charles)
When God’s instructions are clear, I would like to believe that I follow them wholeheartedly and to the letter but the Bible is full of people and instances where this is not the case. Therefore I would know better than to believe that I could do this one hundred percent of the time. If I could or anyone for that matter, we would not have needed God to send Jesus. Reflecting upon this reminds of the Psalm David writes asking God to search his heart and to point out anything that offends Him. It is a reminder that no matter who we are, we can always make compromises that we may not be aware of or in denial of that requires God’s intervention.
To be honest, my decisions are usually based on my own knowledge. If I have a clear understanding of a particular field, I tend to trust my own judgment. Although I know this contradicts Proverbs 3:5-6, I feel more confident in my decisions. However, I’ve come to realize that following God’s instructions leads to better outcomes than relying solely on my own understanding.
Happy Monday friends! I definitely think that even though God’s instructions are clear, I have moments where I make compromises or “bend” or make excuses to the rules to fit to what I desire. I think because of human nature & that we as the world are naturally sinners, it’s hard to resist temptation and actually follow His word. Yet every single time in any situation, God always reminds me that HE knows what’s best and His ways are true.
From Teri
I think it’s not as difficult to obey God’s instructions. When God’s instructions are clear such as not killing another human being. It’s easier to follow.
However, it’s not easy when the sin is about lying or cheating. We will convince ourselves that it’s ok because we can justify these sins as “not so bad” or they don’t really hurt anyone.
However, we don’t really know how God views each sin, if one is truly worse than another. I am for sure guilty of deceiving myself from time to time resulting in disobeying God.
Praying that I will overcome the self deception and able to recognize it so that I won’t keep making excuses for my sins.
When God’s instructions are made clear, I sometimes fail to fully follow through with what he wants. If God clearly tells me to do something, but is in contrast to what I desire, then I rebel against God and disobey Him because of my hubris and ego making me believe that I know better than the Lord. To better myself in this aspect, I can strive to be open to what the Lord tells me to do and to not disobey him because I know that he means well in the end.
when God’s instructions are clear, i tend to try and compromise between what I want and what God wants instead of trusting his instructions completely, esp when they go against my desires or worldly instincts, but i need to have faith in His promise that all things work out for the glory of Him and to give up the mentality that i know best when in reality i am nothing without God’s guidance and salvation
When it comes to following rules and directions, it depends on the specific one. Honestly, most of the time I follow the rules, but there are times when I deviate and make my own. If it’s God’s instructions then I hope and want to follow them, though I know I am not perfect. When I reflect on today’s reading about King Saul and his disobedience of God’s instructions, I see the grave errors of his ways. I am reminded that God values our obedience over sacrifice. My prayer is that He helps me to walk with Him daily and live in a manner that honors and pleases Him.
When God’s instructions are clear I still often make compromises so that it’d benefit me. I think my spirit is very willing but my flesh is weak and that’s the bottleneck in my faith. I dont doubt His directions for me or anything but sometimes when the direction is difficult to follow or obey, I’d find a way to work around it so that I dont have to try as hard. This feeds into me believing the lies of the world that God’s promises are good enough so I still had to interject my own thoughts or what I think is “wisdom” into the matter, but in truth God has covered the multitude of my sins and He only needs me to obey, no matter how hard or unclear at the same it may seem. I pray as I continue to walk in Him daily, His is the only light that’ll shine and light up the path for me.
I definitely do my own desires. Sometimes God instructions or what he wants me to do isn’t the easiest or the most charming so I tend to my own desires. Then it all blows up in my face and I realize i should have just listened to God from the start and how much less trouble and stress I would be going thrugh.
When God’s instructions are clear, I do find that I follow them. However, often times if they don’t align with what I want, my obedience is delayed until I feel like I’m ready