Day 79–1 Samuel 22-25; Mark 5

In 1 Samuel 22, we see the lengths to which King Saul was willing to go to find and kill David. Doeg the Edomite, who we read about in a previous chapter told Saul that Ahimelech the priest had helped David. Saul called for Ahimelech and his extended priestly family. When they came, Saul examined Ahimelech, and he offered a reasonable explanation for helping David: David was Saul’s greatest soldier, and he had helped him many times before. Saul wouldn’t listen to reason. He told his men to slaughter all the priests. They would no, so Does did it. He killed 85 priests that day, only one of Ahimelech’s sons, Abiathar, escaped. He went to David, and David promised to protect him, because as Saul was searching for Abiathar, so he was searching for David.

In Chapter 23, David saves the city of Keith, and yet they would have been willing to turn him and his men, who now numbered 600, over to Saul, so they fled. David continued to flee from Saul, and people told Saul where David was. When Saul was getting close to capturing David, he received news the Philistines were attacking so he had to break off his efforts and go to battle. This is a clear case of god providing a way out for David.

In Chapter 24, David had the opportunity to kill Saul. While Saul was searching for David, he went into a cave to “relieve himself.” David and his men were in that very cave. His men told David God had delivered Saul to him, so he could kill Saul and become king.  David went for the idea for a moment, but we see David’s true character, because as he went up behind Saul and cut off a portion of his robe, he was convicted that it wasn’t his place to kill “the Lord’s anointed.” He let Saul go. Only afterward did he go out and let Saul know he head the opportunity to kill him. Saul admitted to David that David was a better man than he.

In Chapter 25, the account changes from Saul chasing David, to David moving to the area of Moan. There he and His men protected the flocks of a man named Nabal. It wasn’t an official agreement, but when the time for sheep-shearing came, David and his men sent a message to Nabal, that he ought to pay the something for the protection they had provided his sheep and shepherds. Nabal dismissed the request, which angered David and he determined to destroy Nabal. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, heard of David’s plan to come against her husband, and took matters into her own hands. She prepared a great deal of food, took it to David, and convinced him that to kill Nabal would leave a mark on his record and conscience that would be difficult to defend when he became king. David realized Abigail was right, so he agreed not to harm Nabal or his family. When Abigail went home and told Nabal what she had done, he went ballistic. This resulted in his having a stroke, from which he died ten days later. David saw this as God’s vindication of his actions. After the time of mourning was over for her husband, Abigail became David’s wife. This account shows us how the LORD intervened in tangible ways in David’s life. It also shows us that sometimes total strangers become God’s instruments in keeping us on his path. Abigail’s intervention in David’s life kept him from making a fifteen-minute decision that would have haunted him he rest of his life. It also worked out well for Abigail!

As we return to Mark 5, we come again to one of my favorite sequences in Jesus’ life and ministry. First, He met “Legion,” a man possessed by 2,000 demons. (The number comes from the number of pigs that ran down the bank and killed themselves, after Jesus cast the demons out of Legion.) The interaction between Jesus and Legion is nothing short of incredible. While no one was able to bind the man, and no one wanted to be near the man, Jesus reached out and cast the demons out of him and brought him back to himself. Legion’s gratitude was so great he asked Jesus if He could follow along with Him. Instead, Jesus told him to go home and tell everyone what God had done for him. We’re told Legion did just that. Everywhere he went, his story, along with the redeemed life that accompanied it amazed the people he encountered.

After His meeting with Legion, Jesus was approached by a synagogue ruler named Jairus. We know he was desperate in coming to Jesus, because so many of the religious leaders had already condemned Him. But Jairus’ daughter was dying. He didn’t care about the religious leaders, or his own standing. He cared about his daughter. Jesus agreed to go see her, but as He was walking someone in the crowd that was pressing against Him, touched His robe. Through that simple act, Jesus felt healing power go out from His body. Even though He didn’t know who had touched Him, He knew someone did, so He asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples thought Jesus was being a little ridiculous. After all, the crowd was pressing in on him from every side. Jesus persisted. Finally, a woman admitted she had touched Jesus robe, because she knew if she did, she would be healed. Jesus called the woman, “Daughter” and told her that her faith had healed her. This is the only time in any of the gospels Jesus called anyone daughter, so this was a powerful affirmation of the woman. She had broken the law in touching Jesus, but Jesus said in effect, “I’m glad you did what you did, because now you are set free!”

As Jesus finished up with the woman, some folks came from Jairus’ house and  told Jairus’ his daughter had died, so it didn’t make sense to bother the teacher further. Jesus told Jairus’ to believe. Then he went to their home, and found the girl dead. He took her by the hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you get up.” She did! This sequence shows us Jesus put others’ needs before His own. It shows He is Lord of the spirit and the body, and of life and death. It shows us we do well when we put Him first in our lives!

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