Read: 1 Samuel 29:1-11
The commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” (v. 3)
I’ve learned that in any and all of life’s squabbles, having the right person on my side makes all the difference. In a battle of wits I would choose my brother; in a verbal altercation I would pick my friend Lori; and if I needed someone to rally the troops, hands down I would choose my husband. Being aligned with someone we fully trust is probably the most important thing in any skirmish or big battle.
In this episode of “David at War,” we witness an interesting encounter with a group of Philistine military leaders. Earlier, David fell in with a Philistine king named Achish, who offered him refuge from Saul. Because of the time the two men spent together, Achish trusted David and wanted him to join with the greater Philistine forces in fighting the Israelites. But they got called out. The Philistine leaders were upset by the presence of Hebrews among their ranks and felt worried that David and his men could betray them while fighting a battle against their own people. In today’s reading, we see that God sorted things out and brought David back toward his own fold.
Battles are urgent, messy affairs with little time to make careful decisions. In our own struggles, it’s critical for us to surround ourselves with people we trust, both for the sake of the battles life throws our way, and because of the safety it provides us.
As you pray, thank God for the trustworthy people in your life.
About the Author
Katy Sundararajan is a specialized minister in the Reformed Church in America. She has garnered her pastoral perspectives from posts as a college chaplain, a missionary, an international student advisor, and a higher education and leadership ministries program coordinator.
