Written by: John Baxter-Brown – Churches Together

1 Samuel 26 v 6-8
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into Saul’s camp with me?”
Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
So that night David and Abishai went into Saul’s camp. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the army were sleeping around Saul. Abishai said to David, “Today God has handed your enemy over to you. Let me pin Saul to the ground with my spear. I’ll only have to do it once. I won’t need to hit him twice.”

Notes
Taking the easy way out
This story is similar to an earlier one (in 1 Samuel 24). In both cases David had a clear opportunity to kill Saul and rid himself of the man who was trying to kill him. Many people, including David’s own small army of men, thought he should do so. Many people would have justified such action. But David thought differently. He was not prepared to take the easy way out if it meant doing something against God and against God’s own anointed king, Saul.

No matter how tricky Saul was being, David would not lower his standards and take the easy way out. He would rather risk claiming political asylum in an enemy country than that (see 1 Samuel 27 v 1-7).

Sometimes we all have other people in our power. We might know their secrets, be stronger than them, be their boss, or be their parent or carer. We might have them in our power by accident (as in 1 Samuel 24) or by our own planning (as in this story). But what should set God’s followers apart is they should not abuse that power - ever. Rather, we should use that power as God intends and wants.

And when we are in someone else’s power, we should do right and trust God to sort things out for us, which is often easier said than done as the rest of the chapter shows. 

Prayer 
Lord God, who has the ultimate power in all the world, help me today to act rightly, and trust in you. Help me to avoid abusing power, and more than that, help me to do good to those I meet, like Jesus did. Amen

1 Samuel 26 v 9-12
But David said to Abishai, “Don’t kill Saul! No one can harm the LORD’s appointed king and still be innocent! As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD himself will punish Saul. Maybe Saul will die naturally, or maybe he will go into battle and be killed. But may the LORD keep me from harming his appointed king! Take the spear and water jug that are near Saul’s head. Then let’s go.”
So David took the spear and water jug that were near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw them or knew about it or woke up, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.

Notes
Trusting God to sort it out
David was clear about not taking the advantage. He believed that ultimately it would be God who sorted things out with Saul. David knew that in this instance violence was not the answer.

But what was? For David it was clear that trusting God was the answer. This involved two steps. Firstly, he had to show himself as being of upright character. He did this by taking evidence that he was there (and could therefore have killed Saul had he chosen to do so). And the next step was leaving the situation in God’s hands. He was clear that Saul had to die. It was simply that God would do it one way or another and not he himself. 

It can be really hard to leave things with God sometimes. When we have problems that seem to overwhelm us, whether through sickness or bereavement, or at school or work, when we have apparently unsolvable relationship problems, or financial worries – these can and do weigh us down.

There aren’t always easy answers. But what God requires of us is to do the right thing, to show mercy and to let Him (or Her, if that’s a better image of God for you) support you through prayer.

Prayer
Lord God, who through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has shown us how to do the right thing, please help me to trust you in the darkest of times, and also in the brightest of times. Amen

1 Samuel 26 v 13-16 
David crossed over to the other side of the hill and stood on top of the mountain far from Saul’s camp. They were a long way away from each other. David shouted to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Won’t you answer me, Abner?”
Abner answered, “Who is calling for the king? Who are you?”
David said, “You’re the greatest man in Israel. Isn’t that true? Why didn’t you guard your master the king? Someone came into your camp to kill your master the king! You have not done well. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men should die. You haven’t guarded your master, the LORD’s appointed king. Look! Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”

Notes
Proving one’s worth
David had managed covertly to get into and out of Saul’s camp. Saul was surrounded by his own armed posse. David did two things. Firstly, he roused Saul’s camp (from a safe distance!), and then he told them what he had done.

As he did before, he entered into a dialogue with his enemies. It’s not the best example of dialogue, however - at least by modern standards. David gleefully taunted the king’s champion, throwing his failure in his face, which is not the best way to win friends and influence people. However, David was not trying to win Abner’s friendship but point out to Saul that David – more so than Abner – could be trusted with the king’s own life; that he, David, was of good character.

In many human relationships it is important to maintain one’s own good character, particularly in tense situations. I can think of two reasons for this. Firstly and simply, it’s what God wants of us. Secondly, however, if our enemies can learn to recognise such goodness in us we may win them over to our cause. And, of course, the cause itself needs to be good as well.

Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for keeping your good character when you were betrayed and faced a miscarriage of justice. Grant me the peace and confidence to keep and develop my good character to become more like you. In your name, Amen

1 Samuel 26 v 17-21
Saul knew David’s voice. He said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
David answered, “Yes, it is, my master and king.” David also said, “Why are you chasing me, my master? What wrong have I done? What evil am I guilty of? My master and king, listen to me. If the LORD made you angry with me, let him accept an offering. But if people did it, may the LORD curse them! They have made me leave the land the LORD gave me. They have told me, ‘Go and serve other gods.’ Now don’t let me die far away from the LORD’s presence. The king of Israel has come out looking for a flea! You’re just hunting a bird in the mountains!”
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Today you respected my life, so I will not try to hurt you. I have been very stupid and foolish.”

Notes
Straight talking
David was quite willing to face up to any failure on his part. He asked Saul to lay any charges against him so he could answer them and make amends if needs be. He was even prepared to answer to God. Yet Saul could not bring any charges to bear.

David pointed out that the campaign against him was wrong and had no basis. But more than this, the consequences of it could drive him from his own home and country and leave him far from God’s presence. (In those days people believed that God was geographically linked to the land, and leaving the land therefore meant leaving God behind as well.) David feared he would have to move to another land, and therefore serve other gods. Moreover, Saul was demeaning himself and his kingship, hunting out a flea or a bird when he should be looking to the affairs of state. To Saul’s credit, he could see he was in the wrong and admitted it.

There are times when it is best to talk straight. The aim, though, should not be to win an argument or score political points. Rather, it should be to help ourselves, our enemies, colleagues, families, friends – whoever – to make peace. Sometimes we need to admit we’re wrong, and sometimes the other parties need to. There is no shame in owning up to mistakes – or even to sin. The shame is in repeating them again and again and again. 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, who talks the truth to us in love, help me to know when to talk straight, grant me the courage to do so, and give me the grace to do so in such a way that peace is built up. For your sake, and my sake, Amen 

1 Samuel 26 v 22-25
David answered, “Here is your spear. Let one of your young men come here and get it. The LORD rewards us for the things we do right and for our loyalty to him. The LORD handed you over to me today, but I wouldn’t harm the LORD’s appointed king. As I respected your life today, may the LORD also respect my life and save me from all trouble.”
Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will do great things and succeed.”
So David went on his way, and Saul went back home.

Notes
The things we do right
These verses come at the end of a conversation between David and his king, Saul. David had stolen the king’s spear in a daring raid in the middle of the night. It was SAS action, Iron Age style. He hadn’t killed Saul when he had the chance, and he had no regrets about it. From what we read we can see that David believed he was doing the right thing, and that he believed God would reward him for his loyalty. It is a simple view of God: do right and God will reward you. Modern theology can obscure this delightful simplicity, adding qualifications and encouraging us to hedge our bets rather than commit ourselves to unalloyed loyalty to God.

But in all our choices we still have the overarching choice of seeking God’s will for our lives or not, of living in the kingdom of God or not, of doing the right thing or not. Sometimes, to be sure, it is hard to know exactly what the right thing to do is, right here and right now. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that God is close to us or directing us. Sometimes we have to do all our thinking and praying and simply choose. 

But God is right now and right here. “I am with you always,” said Jesus, “right to the end of time.” So do the right thing.

Prayer
Dear Jesus, be with me, right now and right here, and help me to do the things that are right and not the things that are wrong. Help me be a loyal and trustworthy servant. In your name, Amen

1 Samuel 27 v 1-7
But David thought to himself, “Saul will catch me some day. The best thing I can do is escape to the land of the Philistines. Then he will give up looking for me in Israel, and I can get away from him.”
So David and his 600 men left Israel and went to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath. David, his men and their families made their home in Gath with Achish. David had his two wives with him—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. When Saul heard that David had run away to Gath, he stopped looking for him.
Then David said to Achish, “If you are pleased with me, give me a place in one of the country towns where I can live. I don’t need to live in the royal city with you.”
That day Achish gave David the town of Ziklag, and Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. David lived in the Philistine land a year and four months.

Notes
Asylum seeking
Asylum has always been a political issue. In lands where people’s lives or liberty are threatened there is always the temptation to flee, sometimes at huge personal cost. The early years of Israel’s history – and its modern history too – contains violent conflict and persecution. David (who was to become one of the great kings of Israel) was caught up in this, but as a victim of the powerful, not as an oppressor. He threw himself upon the mercy of Achish and lived in one of the country towns. 

It’s important to note that David became an asylum seeker despite trying to honour God and do the right things. It’s tempting to think that God will give us a cosy and comfortable life if we follow him. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Following God has never been the easy road. Loyalty to God does cost. At this stage in David’s life it meant he could no longer live in safety in Israel. For others it has meant suffering and even martyrdom. For Jesus Himself loyalty to God led to the Cross. 

Two things follow from this. The first is a comfort to us. When things are hard because of our obedience to God, then we walk in well-trodden footsteps. We follow the great heroes of the Christian faith, with Christ himself walking with us (even though we may not be aware of Him).

The second is a challenge. When others are suffering, then we are called to walk with them, offering them our support and friendship, our prayers and love. Who knows when we might be as Christ to one of these, or indeed when they might be as Christ to us?

Prayer
My Lord Jesus, I ask not to be spared the suffering of loyalty to you, but rather experience the privilege of knowing your loyalty to me. And further, may I have the privilege of sharing your presence with those who walk in your footsteps with me. For their sake and your sake, Amen

1 Samuel 27 v 8-12
David and his men raided the people of Geshur, Girzi and Amalek. (These people had lived for a long time in the land that reached to Shur and Egypt.) When David fought them, he killed all the men and women and took their sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.
Achish would ask David, “Where did you go raiding today?” And David would tell him that he had gone to the southern part of Judah, or Jerahmeel, or to the land of the Kenites. David never brought a man or woman alive to Gath. He thought, “If we bring people alive, they may tell Achish, ‘This is what David really did.’” David did this all the time he lived in the Philistine land. So Achish trusted David and said to himself, “David’s own people, the Israelites, now hate him very much. He will serve me for ever.”

Notes 
Tangled webs and spin doctors
David, as an asylum seeker in a neighbouring country at war with his own land, faced a very difficult balancing act. He remained loyal to God and the land of Israel and could not in all conscience attack them. Yet he could not be seen not to attack them lest he be expelled by Achish, his host.

His solution was to deceive both Saul, Israel’s king, and Achish, both of whom thought he had left Israel for good. So instead of attacking Israel, he attacked various tribes to the south who posed a direct and current threat to Israel’s security. In so doing, he was actually building up his own future power base and securing the boundaries of his own future kingdom - and also making himself very rich. To Achish he passed these attacks off as being against Israel. The only way to avoid being found out was to kill all the men and women. In effect he became a spin doctor, playing both sides off against the middle for his own advantage. Hardly commendable behaviour!

Three things stand out for me in this story. David was a flawed human being, and the Bible stories are not afraid to paint a picture of the real man – “warts and all” as the saying goes. Secondly, I have never been faced with such a grim balancing act, and therefore I am not at liberty to judge someone until I have walked in their shoes. Thirdly, I ask God to protect me from the lies and a deceit of spin doctors by never turning to deception as a way of behaving.

Prayer
Dear Lord God, please protect me from myself, and from becoming that which I most despise. Yet always make me merciful and compassionate, recognising my own warts and forgiving others theirs. For Christ’s sake, who accepts and forgives me, Amen


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes