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Encouraging the body of Christ, and all other seekers of truth, to appreciate the rich spiritual treasures that reside in Scripture

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Chaos of Conflict


“But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul…’”
1 Samuel 27:1
 
Last week’s blog focused on how David, the designated replacement to Saul’s royal throne, was ushered into a gauntlet of trials and tribulations, and yet managed to receive God-ordained encouragement in the midst of strife. The would-be king was a fugitive for many years. David crisscrossed his country and surrounding regions to avoid the murderous grasp of King Saul. But God’s benevolent hand was on the youngest son of Jesse and even when David entered a cave in Adullam in 1 Samuel 22 God revealed Himself in a most unusual and magnificent way. People of desperation and brokenness came from all over to reside with David. The down-and-out opted to share in David’s tragedy. The loner was no longer alone. God’s grace and comfort could still be found, even in a cave-dwelling experience.  

This lesson fast forwards many years past David’s temporary stay at a cave in Adullam. By 1 Samuel 27 David had endured much relocation just to try and stay ahead of Saul’s army. David was likely exhausted, discouraged, and losing hope. In fact, 1 Samuel 27:1 conveys that David started to believe Saul would eventually find him and kill him, thus voiding out God’s promise to establish David as Israel’s second king. But God has never broken a pledge and never will. He is the eternal covenant-keeping God Whose word is bond. But conflict, after all, has a way of defeating the mightiest warriors before the battle has ended, and David was one of the mightiest emotional and spiritual warriors in Scripture. Through the haze of conflict, David probably surveyed the potential outcome and determined that the odds of escaping Saul’s manhunt were heavily stacked against him.

Conflict was a cross that David had to bear for the sum of his life. Conflict with enemies outside Israel. Conflict with enemies within Israel. Conflict with family members. Some of the conflict was self-inflicted through negligence and disobedience. But some of the conflict arose from forces outside David’s sphere of influence or control. All of which speaks to a world that is wrecked relationally. Sadly, the sin of humanity puts God’s followers into conflict with God, with other people, and within ourselves. David’s life shines a spotlight on the relational conflict we continually face. But the once shepherd boy provides us some insightful conduct that modern-day believers should observe and follow.

David, the man after God’s own heart, was a man knit to God’s Word. And thus he found the strength to carry on even when all his future appeared bleak. David led a band of some six-hundred men, along with wives and children, through backwoods, caves, and enemy territories to survive day after day. He understood that each day was enough trouble of its own so it was best to give the one, true God each day, and let the Lord settle future matters in His divine plan. David was presented many opportunities to compromise his standards and abandon God, but, for the most part, he chose to believe in the Lord, no matter how misplaced his confidence seemed on the surface. The underlying message is that we, as God’s followers, need to serve the Lord each day and entrust Him with tomorrow. May the Creator of heaven and earth give us the confidence to carry through our days, and help us joyfully engage the chaos of conflict.  


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