Warriors Arise: June 18, 2022
1 Samuel 17:1-2 (NKJV) Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines.
Most of us have gone through situations in our lives where we thought we were in position for what God had positioned us to do. Then life happens and we get sent back. It reminds me of the game, Mother May I. In it, the one playing mother gives directions for your movement forward for instance, "Move forword 3 jumps, move forward 10 baby steps, move forward 4 army crawls, etc." Before you move you are to say, "Mother May I?" If you do not ask then you are sent back to the starting line.
David is in the palace to serve King Saul as his armorbearer, to play his harp when the distressing spirit comes upon King Saul. Things are going very well.
1 Samuel 16:23 (NKJV) And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.
But then war happens. King Saul is called to battle and they send David home. Can you imagine the brothers' response when David arrives home? If you are King Saul's armorbearer then why aren't you going with him to battle? Why did he send you home if you were so valuable to him?
We find out David's three older brothers have followed Saul to war. David is able to return to fee his father's sheep.
1 Samuel 17:13-15 (NKJV) The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
I wonder if David preferred the bleating of sheep over the quarreling of King Saul's generals of what to do with Goliath and his threats. Who would answer the call? I wonder if David was kept so far from the battle line that he didn't know of the challenge Goliath had put to Saul's army?
It would appear David wanted the reprieve or maybe he just wanted something to do. Since King Saul didn't need him and the servants knew where to find David. They let him return to his sheep, "We'll come get you, when we need you." Either way you read the Scripture, it sounds like David was extremely responsible. He wanted to tend the sheep he had been given to shepherd. Another attribute revealing God's heart. When Jesus tells the following parable, I wonder if he was thinking of when he saw David return to his sheep?
John 10:1-18 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
David was not a hireling. He returned to his sheep when he was not needed by King Saul. most people try to get out of work or returning to what they used to do; but David never lost heart in doing what he was good at. He never lost heart in caring for his father's sheep. Even in the midst of the glorious title of being the king's armorbearer and soothing the king when the distressing Spirit came, David returned to tend the sheep under his care.
Father, I want to be faithful to what You have given into my hands to do. Even when asked to step into a more prestigious position, I want to remain faithful to continue to tend the first. I ask for my heart to be tender to be led by You in where I am to be and what I need to do. I do not want to leave one when there is a need to go to the other. I want to be led by the Spirit of God. I want to be in the right place at the right time. Thank You for new opportunities and the freedom to return where I started in ministry. I desire to be led by You. I pray I would not grow stagnate while others wait to advance Your kingdom. I pray I would use my time wisely and take the pause in one part of my life to reposition me to invest in another part of my life. Come and direct me each and every day in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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