Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT)

Isaiah 7 tells the story of Ahaz, the king of Judah. In the cycle of good kings and bad kings who ruled over Israel and Judah, Ahaz definitely fell into the second category. He led the people of Judah into idol worship.

Ahaz became alarmed when he learned that his neighboring monarchs, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekin of Israel, had joined forces to launch an attack against Jerusalem, the capital of Judah.

The Lord sent His prophet Isaiah to reassure Ahaz. Isaiah told the king that the invasion would not happen. Neither Syria nor Israel was powerful enough to attack Judah. God invited Ahaz to ask Him for a sign of confirmation, something miraculous that would prove God could be trusted. Ahaz declined the offer, much to Isaiah’s annoyance. God gave him a sign to look for anyway.

Through Isaiah, God told Ahaz that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a child. Before that child was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, Ahaz’s enemies, Rezin and Pekin, would be gone, and their lands would be deserted.

Prophecies sometimes have a two-part fulfillment: a short-term partial fulfillment and a long-term ultimate fulfillment. Many scholars believe that God fulfilled His prophecy in the short term, within a few years. The first four verses of Isaiah 8 suggest that Isaiah’s wife was the virgin, and his son was the child in the prophecy.

God also fulfilled His prophecy in the long term, seven hundred years later. Matthew 1:18 says, “This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit” (NLT).

That came as an understandable surprise to her fiancé Joseph, who looked for a way to break their engagement quietly so that Mary wouldn’t be embarrassed. “As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins’” (verses 20–21 NLT).

So that no one would miss the connection between Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus’ fulfillment (it had been seven hundred years, after all), Matthew writes, “All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us”’” (verses 22–23 NLT).

The Bible has dared to predict the future not once, not twice, but hundreds of times. It is worth noting that one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy. Approximately one-half of these prophecies have already come to take place. Therefore, if one-half have happened as God said they would, I have no reason to doubt that the remaining ones will happen exactly as God has said. When God tells you about what the future holds, you can take it to the bank. It is going to happen.

Reflection question: What does the prophecy and fulfillment of the virgin birth reveal about God?

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“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” (Daniel 9:25 NLT)

Daniel 9 begins with Daniel praying. This wasn’t unusual. Daniel prayed a lot. In Daniel 9, however, his prayer is especially urgent. Daniel had been in captivity in Babylon for about sixty-six years. Based on his understanding of the prophecies of Jeremiah, the captivity would end in less than four years. Daniel prayed for God to show mercy on His people, who were scattered throughout the land, and to restore the city of Jerusalem.

Suddenly the angel Gabriel appeared to provide an answer (of sorts) to Daniel’s prayer. Gabriel revealed to Daniel a complex prophecy involving seventy sets of seven. There’s a lot of math involved, not to mention a conversion from the ancient calendar to the modern one, but here’s the basic gist of the prophecy.

God’s people are given a timeframe of “seventy sets of seven.” Sixty-nine of those sets of seven will take place between the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem and the time a ruler—the Anointed One—enters the city. The final set of seven will take place when another ruler makes a treaty but then breaks it by defiling the temple.

Each set of seven represents seventy years, for a total of 490 years. The prophecy then divides that period into three smaller ones—one of forty-nine years, one of 434 years, and one of seven years.

This breakdown gives us a kind of clock for when the Messiah will return and what will be happening in the world when He does. But the timeline isn’t consecutive. It didn’t predict that Jesus would return in 490 years. There’s a break in it that makes it impossible to pin down. There are, however, some parts that lend themselves to specific interpretations.

The first set of seven likely began on March 4, 444 BC. That’s the day Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, gave Nehemiah permission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 2:1–8). The construction process took 49 years. About 483 years later (in converted time), Jesus—the Messiah, the Anointed One—made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Within a week, He was crucified, fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel 9:26.

Many people like to speculate on the final part of the prophecy, the final set of seven. They trade theories about the ruler who will emerge—the Antichrist—and how his evil reign will play out.

But let’s not lose sight of the fact that Daniel was given a vision of Jesus—the Anointed One—and His saving work five hundred years before He was born. God’s timetable is perfect, from the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls to the coming of the Messiah to the final judgment and end of evil. We can trust Him to accomplish His will, in His way, in His time.

And let’s not lose sight of our own responsibility. There are things we must be alert to as we live in the last days. As the apostle Paul wrote, “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living” (Romans 13:12 NLT).

Your relationship with Jesus Christ needs constant maintenance and cultivation. The day that you stop growing spiritually is the day you will start to become weak and vulnerable to the devil’s attacks. The best way to not go backward is to keep moving forward.

Reflection question: When have you seen God’s perfect timetable in your own life?

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“He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14 NLT)

Like Joseph before him, Daniel had the ability to interpret dreams and visions. This was a valuable skill in Old Testament times, when people placed great importance on dreams and visions. And like Joseph before him, Daniel used his ability to gain favor with a foreign king.

Daniel was taken captive when the Babylonians conquered his homeland of Judah. When the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he couldn’t interpret, Daniel was in the right place at the right time. He impressed the king by telling him exactly what his dream meant.

In Daniel 7, however, Daniel himself had a dream that even he couldn’t interpret. Fortunately, there was a heavenly being nearby who was able to explain it to him.

Daniel saw four beasts emerging from a churning, windswept sea. The first beast was like a lion with eagle’s wings. The second beast looked like a bear with three ribs in its mouth. The third beast was like a four-headed leopard with four wings on its back. The fourth beast had ten horns (until another suddenly appeared) and huge iron teeth.

Each beast represented a political empire that had—or would—oppress Israel. The first beast represents the Babylonian Empire. The second beast represents the Medo-Persian Empire. The third beast represents the Greek Empire. The fourth beast represents the Roman Empire.

Bible scholars have suggested several interesting correlations between Daniel’s vision and actual historical events. That’s a rabbit hole you may want to explore.

But for our purposes today, let’s focus on the last part of Daniel’s vision. He saw “someone like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven” (7:13, NLT). This Son of Man is led into God’s presence, where He is given authority over all the nations of the world. People of every nation obey him. His kingdom will never be destroyed. The Son of Man is Christ, who will return in glory to pronounce judgment on the world and usher in His eternal kingdom.

Jesus confirmed His role in Daniel’s prophecy during His trial, just before His crucifixion, in Mark 14:61–62. When the high priest asked Jesus if He was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, Jesus replied, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven” (NLT).

Though these end-times images may seem a little unsettling, there is no reason for believers to worry. Jesus said, “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NLT).

What comforting words Jesus speaks to us. If you are a child of God, you don’t have to fear the future. Jesus is going to watch over you.

Reflection question: How does knowing that God is in control of history impact the way you respond to the events that are happening in our nation today?

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“But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5–6 NLT)

Isaiah was a prophet who ministered in Judah during the sixth century BC. In chapter 53 of the book that bears his name, he records a prophecy about a Suffering Servant—an innocent person who would take the punishment for the sins of others. Check the date on Isaiah’s employment history again: The sixth century BC Isaiah recorded his prophecy more than five hundred years before Jesus was born.

Yet there’s no mistaking who the prophecy refers to. The New Testament writers certainly saw the connection between Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus. That’s why Matthew quotes from Isaiah 53 in his Gospel (Matthew 8:14–17). And Luke quotes from it in his (Luke 22:36–38). And John, too (John 12:37–41). Paul quotes from it in his letter to the Romans (Romans 10:16–17). Peter quotes from it as well (1 Peter 2:19–25).

The New Testament’s depiction of Jesus’ life and death makes even more specific connections to Isaiah 53. The descriptions of being pierced and crushed in verse 5 refer to His crucifixion. Jesus’ wrists and feet were pierced when He was nailed to the cross. His side was pierced by a Roman spear. The weight of His body as it hung on the cross crushed His internal organs (see John 19:33–34).

The references to silence in verse 7 connect to Jesus’ remaining silent during His trial while His accusers did their worst (see Matthew 27:12–14; Mark 14:60–61; Luke 23:8–9).

The references to a burial and grave in verse 9 correspond with the Gospel of Matthew. The Roman soldiers who carried out Jesus’ crucifixion intended to bury Him with the criminals who were crucified on either side of Him. But Joseph, a wealthy man from Arimathea, got permission from the Roman governor Pilate to bury Jesus’ body in a new tomb he owned (see Matthew 27:57–60).

The most important takeaway from this prophecy of the Suffering Servant is that Jesus died “for our rebellion” and “for our sins.” He was sinless; He was innocent. We’re the guilty ones. Every one of us has sinned. Every one of us deserves God’s punishment. We can’t save ourselves, so Jesus had to die in our place. He was our substitute. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the only means to bridge the chasm between us and God—the chasm that was created by our sin.

People often ask, “Don’t all roads lead to God?” In other words, aren’t all belief systems equally true? If you take time to look at what each religion teaches, you’ll find that only Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again. The Bible teaches that He is the Son of God, that He paid the debt in our place, and that if we will turn from our sin and follow Him, we can be forgiven and know that we will go to Heaven.

Reflection question: What other connections do you see between the Suffering Servant prophecy in Isaiah 53 and the events of Jesus’ life?

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“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9 NLT)

God promised David that his kingdom would last forever. That was a reference to Jesus, who, centuries later, not only descended from David but also was closely identified with him. People called Him “Son of David.”

God also promised that He would bless David’s son, who would also succeed him as king. It would be that son who finally built the temple that David wanted to build. That son would continue the lineage of David that would eventually produce Jesus.

That son was Solomon, the second child born to David and Bathsheba. (Their first child died as a consequence of their adulterous affair.) God promised to bless Solomon and treat him as a son.

According to 1 Kings 3, when Solomon became king, God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (NIV). Solomon asked for wisdom so that he could be the ruler God wanted him to be. God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He gave him wisdom—and then threw in wealth and honor. God equipped David’s son to carry on his father’s legacy and make a name for himself.

King Saul was dead. That meant David was the only living human who knew the challenges Solomon would face as king. And before he died, he offered Solomon some final words of advice. You don’t have to be next in line to the throne of Israel to benefit from David’s hard-earned wisdom. You can find his advice in 1 Chronicles 29 (and in the passage above).

Here are three starting points. One, develop an intimate relationship with God. Knowing about God from stories in the Bible or other people’s perspectives isn’t the same as knowing Him personally. You develop an intimate relationship with God by spending time in His presence, praying, and listening. And by meditating on His Word, asking Him to reveal Himself through His promises and commands. And by prioritizing His will. Isn’t that what the Christian life is all about: a deep friendship with God?

Two, serve God with a whole heart and a willing mind. The better you know God, the more you’ll want to serve Him. Serving God isn’t drudgery; it’s not a duty. It’s a delight and a privilege, no matter what form that service takes. Remember, God’s plan for you is better than your plan for yourself.

Three, put the Lord first in your life, and everything else will find its proper balance. That’s the key to effective prayer: aligning yourself with God’s will. Jesus said in John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (NLT).

He also said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14 nlt). He didn’t say, “You are my friends if you do the things that you personally agree with.” God has told us in His Word how to live. It is not for us to pick and choose sections of the Bible we like and toss the rest aside.

If God tells you to do something, He says it for good reason, and you need to obey Him. If God says not to do something, He also says it for good reason. Even if you don’t understand it, obey Him.

Reflection question: How can you tell when you’re putting the Lord first in your life?

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“But God said to me, ‘You must not build a Temple to honor my name, for you are a warrior and have shed much blood.’” (1 Chronicles 28:3 NLT)

What is your purpose in life? I think for some people it’s just long life. That’s not a bad thing to aspire to, but long life is not the objective. Fulfilling God’s purpose for your life is the objective. Life isn’t measured by duration but by donation. What have you donated? What have you done with your life?

There must come a moment when we pass from money to meaning, from possessions to purpose, from success to significance. For David, that moment came when he decided to build a temple for the Lord. In those days, God’s Spirit dwelled among His people in the ark of the covenant. The ark was kept in the tabernacle, which was a tent.

David had trouble reconciling the fact that God’s Spirit dwelled in a tent while he lived in a palace. David wanted to build a house for the Lord. He set aside the necessary funds and gathered the necessary building supplies.

David’s request was valid. His heart was in the right place. He was a man after God’s own heart. He wanted to give back to God for all that God had given him. But there was just one hitch: God said no.

He answered David through the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 7:1–7. God reminded David that He had never asked for a house. He didn’t need to be protected from the elements; He controlled the elements!

David’s timing was off. The temple would be built, but not during his lifetime. His perspective was off, as well. He saw himself as the right person for the job. He didn’t see himself as God saw him. Look again at the passage above from 1 Chronicles 28. David was a warrior king. He had too much blood on his hands.

David learned a hard, valuable lesson. Sometimes God says go. Sometimes God says grow. Sometimes God says slow. Sometimes God says no.

God revealed His reason for saying no to David. He always has His reasons—and they’re always perfect—but He doesn’t always reveal them. Maybe you’ve discovered that yourself. Maybe you had dreams that you didn’t realize. Maybe you dreamed of a successful ministry, and it didn’t happen. Maybe you dreamed of greater success in business, and it didn’t happen. Maybe you dreamed of romance and marriage, and it didn’t happen.

Maybe you feel God has let you down. If so, look at what David did in his situation. Instead of sulking or pleading with God, he wisely pivoted to what God had done for him. “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever” (1 Chronicles 28:4 NLT). In other words, “I want to talk about what God said yes to, not what He said no to.”

Have you ever said to the Lord, “Here is the way I think You ought to work. But not my will, but Yours, be done”? Some might say, “I am not saying that to God. If I say that, He will make me do something I don’t want to do.” I believe a person who believes that has a warped concept of God, a misconception that His will is always going to be something undesirable.

God may be saying “no” to something you have asked Him for because He wants to give you something far better than what you could ask or think. Don’t be afraid to let your Father choose for you.

Reflection question: How can you stay faithful to God after He says no to a prayer request?

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“Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, ‘Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?’” (2 Samuel 9:8 NLT)

It would be an understatement to say David had a complicated relationship with King Saul and his family. David was the anointed successor to Saul. As far as Saul was concerned, that made David his enemy. In fact, he tried to kill David several times.

Yet David married Saul’s daughter Michal. And Saul’s son Jonathan was David’s best friend. Jonathan tried to intervene on David’s behalf with his father. But when he realized how deeply Saul hated David, Jonathan urged his friend to flee.

But before the two friends parted, Jonathan asked David to show kindness to his descendants when David became king. Some time later, Jonathan died with his father on a battlefield.

History teaches us that the first thing many people do when they rise to power is eliminate any potential rivals. But David chose a different approach. It’s not that he was unaware of the political landscape. Saul and Jonathan may have been dead, but Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive. He might have challenged David for the throne of Israel.

Keep in mind, too, that Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandson. David could have gotten a little payback by making him run for his life the way Saul made David run for his life. Instead, he invited Mephibosheth to his palace.

“Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” (2 Samuel 9:7 NLT).

This wasn’t an empty promise. Four verses later, we find these words: “And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons” (nlt).

David was part of the most exclusive genealogy in human history—the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Yet his attitude was inclusive. He showed loving generosity to someone who had done nothing to earn it. He showed grace to someone who might otherwise have been his enemy.

And in this story, we find a beautiful picture of God and His mercy. Mephibosheth had nothing. He deserved nothing. He could repay nothing. In fact, he was hiding from the king. That’s us. We have nothing to offer God. We’ve done nothing to deserve His favor or forgiveness. Sometimes we even try to hide from Him.

And what does He do? He seeks us out. He adopts us and invites us to eat at His table. He makes us part of His royal family. This is the relationship God wants with you.

That’s why it’s essential that you get to know Him for yourself. He loves you. He has a plan for your life that’s better than your plan for yourself. But you need to come to Him. Mephibosheth could have refused David’s offer. He might have said, “I’m not going to that palace. I’m not going to sit at his table. I don’t want any of it. I want to stay here in Lo-Debar and watch the tumbleweeds blow by.” Instead, he made a wise decision that changed his life. You can do the same, right now, simply by embracing what the Lord is offering you. Your life will never be the same.

Reflection question: How has God shown mercy to you?

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“Then David confessed to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’

Nathan replied, ‘Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.’” (2 Samuel 12:13 NLT)

You could argue that, aside from Adam and Eve’s eating of the forbidden fruit, no sin has gotten as much press as David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba. It seems like everyone has heard the story.

In 1 Corinthians 10:12, the apostle Paul writes, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall” (NLT). So if you read David’s story and think, I would never do anything like that, you’re missing the point. A better response would be, “God, help me not to make those kinds of decisions. Instead, help me stay close to You.”

The story in 2 Samuel 11 begins with David in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was on the roof of his palace in Jerusalem when he should have been with his army, battling the Ammonites. From his roof, he saw an extraordinarily beautiful woman taking a bath. It was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s loyal soldiers.

David sent for her and slept with her. And Bathsheba became pregnant with his child. At that point, David could have repented and faced the consequences. Instead, he tried to cover it up. He arranged for Uriah to be sent home from the front. He wanted Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba so that Uriah and everyone else in Israel would assume that her baby was his.

But Uriah refused to enjoy the pleasures of home while his fellow soldiers were still fighting. Instead, he slept outside the palace gates. So David took a more sinister approach. He sent Uriah back to the front with a letter for Joab, his commander. In the letter, David ordered Joab to station Uriah where the battle was fiercest and then pull back the rest of his forces. In other words, he wanted Joab to make sure that Uriah was killed in battle. (David probably didn’t sign that letter, “A man after God’s own heart.”)

This time, his plan worked. Uriah was killed, and David immediately took Bathsheba as his wife so that her pregnancy would seem legitimate. For a moment, he might have thought he’d gotten away with everything. But there was one problem: “The Lord was displeased with what David had done” (2 Samuel 11:27 NLT).

Twelve months later, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David. To his credit, David immediately admitted his guilt. David and Bathsheba’s child died, and they had to live with that loss for the rest of their lives.

But, as devastating as his sin was, David made a comeback. He faced repercussions, but ultimately his life ended well. Remember, David came from Bethlehem. And that’s where Jesus was born. Why? Because Jesus was the offspring of David through the bloodline of Mary and the lineage of Joseph. That’s why Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be taxed.

Want to know who else made it into the messianic line of Jesus Christ? Bathsheba. She repented, too, and was included in the most exclusive genealogy in human history. When you look at the family line of David, you find not only Bathsheba but also two other women, Tamar and Rahab, both prostitutes who turned to the God who gives second chances.

The ideal, of course, is obeying Him in the first place. We need to understand that God’s plans are better than ours. Having said that, it does not mean that they are always the easiest plans or even the most appealing at the moment. There are times when we are going through life that we might not like the plan of God. But God’s plans are always better for us in the long run.

Reflection question: What God-given second chance are you most thankful for?

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1 NLT)

David was a shepherd, a musician, and a poet. When you think of the qualifications necessary for those occupations, courage probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet David showed remarkable courage. He killed a lion and a bear protecting his flock. He walked onto a battlefield to face the giant, heavily armored Philistine warrior Goliath, carrying nothing but a slingshot and a few rocks. He led King Saul’s army into countless battles.

At some point, though, fear replaced courage in David’s heart. First Samuel 21:10 says, “So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath” (NLT). Even though God had protected him again and again in high-risk situations, David chose to run away.

He may have been thinking, I liked it better when I was watching sheep. At least then I knew who my enemies were. He may have felt as though he were in over his head with all the political intrigue and royal scheming. We’re talking about a small-town boy here. He was probably still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was the anointed king of Israel. (And it wouldn’t be long before God dropped the bombshell that he also would be the ancestor of the Messiah!)

Whatever the reasons, David was gripped by fear, and that caused him to take his eyes off the Lord. In his panic, he ran to enemy territory, where the Philistine king recognized him immediately. First Samuel 21:12 says, “David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him” (NLT).

David escaped from Gath and hid in a cave called Adullam. And that’s where he wrote these words from Psalm 142: “I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me” (verses 1–4 NLT).

But then he shifts gears. “Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me’” (verses 5–7 NLT).

David understood that when the bottom drops out, you look up. You put your focus on God, and not on your problems. You give your fears to Him. That’s how to be a person after God’s own heart.

Maybe you are facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.

Reflection question: What fears do you need to give to God?

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“He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.’ So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.” (1 Samuel 24:6–7 NLT)

After he was anointed king of Israel, David’s life reads like an adventure story. He didn’t assume the throne immediately. In fact, few people knew of his anointing at first. Saul, the acting king, struggled with mental illness. His servants suggested sending for a musician to play for the king to help ease his depression and fear. And guess who they chose? The youngest son of Jesse, from the O Little Town of Bethlehem.

When David wasn’t playing therapy music for the king he’d been anointed to replace, he was running errands for his father. David’s three older brothers had joined Saul’s army to fight the Philistines. One day, Jesse sent David to take food to his brothers on the front line. There, David heard the giant Philistine warrior Goliath challenging the Israelite army.

You probably know what happened next. David accepted the challenge, killed Goliath, and became a hero. Saul promoted David to military commander, in addition to his job as court musician. And God blessed David, so that he was successful in everything he did. It didn’t take long for Saul to become jealous.

In fact, he tried to kill David by throwing a spear at him. (David escaped.) And by sending him on a suicide mission to collect the body parts of one hundred Philistines. (David returned with two hundred.) And by throwing another spear. (David escaped again.)

David became best friends with Saul’s son Jonathan and married Saul’s daughter Michal. But they couldn’t protect him from their father’s wrath. So David fled.

In desperation, he took matters into his own hands. He had a momentary lapse of faith and tried to hide in the city of Gath. The hometown of Goliath. A place teeming with Philistines. Apparently, David thought he could walk through the city and not be recognized. But he was a legend in his own time. Everybody knew who David was. He was immediately recognized and brought before the king. David realized he was in trouble, so he pretended to be insane. And his ploy worked.

David fled to a cave known as Adullam. Some of his soldiers joined him there. And then one day, an amazing thing happened. King Saul, who was hunting David, walked into the cave alone to use the restroom.

David and his men were hiding further back in the cave. David’s men saw it as a sign from God that David should kill Saul. That way, David wouldn’t have to fear for his life any longer. But David knew better. He understood that Saul had been God’s anointed one, so he refused to harm him. He left that to God. David prioritized God’s will even over his own life.

Jesus faced a similar situation. On the night He was arrested, just hours before He would take the weight of the world’s sins on Himself and endure God’s wrath alone, Jesus prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39 nlt). He, too, prioritized God’s will even over His own life.

If you are a Christian, people are watching you to see if you prioritize God’s will. They are scrutinizing your every move. You should know they are not hoping you will be a godly witness. They are hoping you will slip up so they will have something on which to conveniently hang their doubts and beliefs.

What kind of character do you have? Who are you in private? For all practical purposes, that is the real you.

Reflection question: How can you recognize and prioritize God’s will in a given situation?

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