READ: 1 Samuel 18-20

THINK: The great English thinker and novelist G.K. Chesterton once wrote a book entitled: The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare.  It is the story of a detective who goes undercover to infiltrate an anarchist group that is committed to doing great harm to society and causing massive chaos. This assignment horrifies the detective and he struggles greatly with the weight of his assignment because he feels like he is alone, like he is the only one fighting the good fight against the evil forces that surround him. But then something happens: he discovers that he isn’t the only undercover detective to infiltrate the group. And the knowledge that he’s not alone takes the weight off.

There are many times in my life when I’ve felt alone – particularly as I have tried to live out my faith and God’s plan for my life in the midst of an evil world. There were times when I felt like I was the only Christian in my school or at my job or on my team. And it’s a heavy burden to bear. It’s a lonely burden to bear.

But when I look back on those times now it’s not so much the loneliness and isolation that I remember; it’s the friends that took those feelings away. I am so thankful for the awesome people God has put in my life to journey alongside me. He built us to do life together and it is such a blessing to have friends to support and encourage you. Even one friend makes a massive difference when you’re feeling lonely. In The Man Who Was Thursday, Chesterton observed, “Through all this ordeal his root horror had been isolation, and there are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematicians that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.”

One of the most difficult periods of David’s life was when Saul was pursuing him and trying to take his life. David was seeking to live out God’s call on his life – to be the next king – and Saul was trying to make sure that didn’t happen. And in the midst of this dark time, David had a friend who stood by his side. Jonathan – whom you would expect to take Saul’s side since he is the one whom Saul wanted to be the next king instead of David – chose to be a friend to David. He warned David when he was in danger and even made sure to seek David out and encourage him when he was feeling down.

What friends has God brought into your life that have blessed you? How can you be a blessing to a friend this week?

PRAY: Thank God for the friends he’s given you, and ask God to help you be a friend who blesses the people in your life.

READ: 1 Samuel 15-17

BACKGROUND: By Verse –
15:2 – Why did God command such destruction? The Amalekites were a particularly vicious and idolatrous band of guerilla terrorists. God knew that they would never live peaceably with the Israelites.
9 – This was knowing and purposeful disobedience.
12 – Notice that this stands in stark contrast to every other monument built before by Israel’s leaders. All of them were built to honor God.
22-23 – The theme of “obedience over sacrifice” is 1^st mentioned here. It is mentioned again in Psalms 40:6-8, 51:16-17, Proverbs 21:3, Isaiah 1:11-17, Jeremiah 7:21-23, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8, Matthew 12:7, Mark 12:33, & Hebrews 10:8-9.
16:13 – The anointing of David as king was done in secret. The public anointing wouldn’t come until much later (2 Samuel 2:4, 5:3). So, when Saul asked David in verse 19 to be in his service he didn’t know that David was the next king (though David did.)
17:4-7 – In the days of the exodus, many of the Israelites (including 10 of the 12 spies in Numbers 13) were afraid to enter the Promised Land because of the giants living in the land.
9 – Often armies avoided the high cost of battle by simply pitting their strongest soldiers up against each other. The winner of that fight was considered the winner of the battle. This was unquestionably Saul’s battle to fight. But he chickened out and David stepped up.
16 – Why did this go on for 40 days without either side actually fighting? They were camped on opposite ends of a steep valley and whoever decided to charge would have to attack uphill which would be a huge disadvantage.

THINK: Let this scenario unfold in your mind: when David, the shepherd, grabs a bear by its throat, hear the roaring and grunting. Then try to feel the weight of Saul’s bronze helmet, and then the light, smooth weight of the stones in your hand.

What one particular event, character, or feature of the story stands out to you? Take time to concentrate on that. Are you drawn to David’s courage? Are you repulsed by Saul’s disbelieving? Maybe you’re surprised hen David rejects Saul’s armor. Consider what your own reaction would be, and then consider how the characters in the story reacted. As you meditate, allow God to show you more about yourself, him, and the way life is.

PRAY: Pastor and author Henri Nouwen wrote, “Make the conscious choice to move the attention of your anxious heart away from the [the] waves and direct it to the One who walks on them and says, ‘It’s me. Don’t be afraid’…Look at him and say, ‘Lord have mercy.’ Say it again and again, not anxiously but with confidence that he is very clos to you and will put your soul to rest.”

What do you feel anxious about, if anything? What might happen if you shifted your attention “away from [the] waves” and “to the One who walks on them”? What concrete thing could you do to help redirect your attention? Ask God to help you focus on him.

Adapted from Eugene Peterson in Solo