Slices
Prepare
Pray today for those who live in exile, cut off from their own culture, language and family. How might it feel to be a refugee or asylum seeker? Pray for cross-cultural workers making Jesus known in other lands.
Bible passage
David among the Philistines
27 But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I shall be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.’
2 So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath. 3 David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. 4 When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.
5 Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?’
6 So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. 7 David lived in Philistine territory for a year and four months.
8 Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) 9 Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
10 When Achish asked, ‘Where did you go raiding today?’ David would say, ‘Against the Negev of Judah’ or ‘Against the Negev of Jerahmeel’ or ‘Against the Negev of the Kenites.’ 11 He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, ‘They might inform on us and say, “This is what David did.”’ And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, ‘He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.’
28 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, ‘You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army.’
2 David said, ‘Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do.’
Achish replied, ‘Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.’
Explore
After being constantly on the run, living in fear for his life, David chooses now to live in exile, across the border with the Philistines. It means Saul no longer searches for him, but also that he has to adjust to living in another culture with its foreign gods, and being outside the land he loves. This is no easy matter for David, his men and their families.
David had been with Achish once before (1 Samuel 21:10–15) and that had not worked out well. Now, as an established leader with his own army and as someone at odds with King Saul, he is welcomed on a different basis. He and his men are treated like mercenaries and given Ziklag as their base, no doubt on the understanding that they will work against Israel.
Is this God’s will for David? Perhaps not. It causes him to behave deceitfully again, pretending to raid Israel when in fact he is fighting with Amalekites and others. Yet God is still with him, for God can weave even our mistakes and wrong turns into his overall plan for our lives.
Respond
Have there been times when you have made poor choices or gone astray? Remember, even our mistakes cannot negate God’s purpose for our lives. Ask God to be with you, wherever you find yourself today.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Leviticus 13,14; Acts 8
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for Mission Partner Southampton City Mission’s first day conference on 1 March at Above Bar Church in Southampton. As a City Mission they are very excited to be able to bring teaching, training, discussion and equipping to those working with children, young people and adults.
