Warriors Arise: September 26, 2022
1Samuel 18:17 (NKJV) Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord's battles.”
I have got a problem with this. Is this second daughter? Because David already "won" a daughter from Saul. Remember when David was asking what the reward would be for the one who kills the Philistine, Goliath?
1 Samuel 17:25 (NKJV) So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
David asks a couple of times and it makes his oldest brother mad. Eliab actually says some not so nice things to David and about him to try an discredit him. But David would not have it. He had done nothing wrong. What is the harm in knowing what the reward would be? Was David going against the Philsitne, Goliath, for the reward? Is that what he says when he is talking with Saul? No, he doesn't say a word about the reward. Nor does he ask for Saul's daughter in marriage. Have you ever wondered why? Why didn't David ask for what was promised to the man who killed Goliath?
There is no mention of David's father's house no longer having to pay taxes, no riches that have been given to David, and there has been no marriage to one of Saul's daughter. At first, Jonathan welcomes David and Saul made him to be over the men of war. I am not sure what this means, because Abner was Saul's commander. But now that Saul can't seem to kill David or position him to be killed, he tells David he is going to give him Merab, his oldest daughter. Oddly, he tells David, "Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord's battles."
David was already being valiant. He was already fighting the Lord's battles. He didn't need to marry Saul's daughter to make him loyal to Saul or the Lord. David would lead the fight against the Philistines, because of his relationship with God. Eliab, David's older brother, had no clue of the purity of David's questions back in the camp of Saul's army, that day he heard Goliath shout insults to the Lord and His army. David didn't pick up five smooth stones so his father's family wouldn't have to pay taxes. David didn't walk onto the battlefield to marry the king's daughter. David didn't run at the giant for riches.
Now, Saul is trying to set David up. He is trying to put strings on David. He desires to be David's puppet master. David was already being valiant for Saul. He was already fighting the Lord's battles. He didn't need Saul's daughter as his wife to be the reason he honored Saul and served the Lord faithfully. Backhandedly, Saul was trying to put his daughter in between David and his service to Saul and his devotion to fight the Lord's battles. David didn't need Saul's daughter to verify what he was already doing.
Have you ever had that happen before? Someone tries to take credit for what you have already done? Or they try to position things so it appears you did what you did for a reward, for placement or recognition rather than from your pure heart?
The enemy is constantly trying to steal from us what we are already doing for the Lord with a pure heart. He wants us to make it about what we should be getting from the Lord for what we are doing. But God will help us stand strong and keep in right perspective so we continue to honor in what He has us doing.
Father, I pray I would not fall prey to those who would try to steal the purity that flows within. I pray I would not allow them to take credit for the blessing in the call You have placed upon my life. You are faithful to led me. I will listen and be watchful. Because of Your Spirit, I will not be deterred from what You are doing in me and through me. I will not be enticed to allow someone else to be the reason I serve You with all my heart and go out to battle to expand Your kingdom here on earth. You are my reason for everything I do. I will love You and be faithful to You in all I do in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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