Day #97 | "God Is With the Outlaws"

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read 1 Samuel 23-24, 1 Chronicles 12:8-18, and Psalms 4 and 57

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

1. God is with the outlaws (1 Samuel 23-24). 

In these chapters we see David on the run, followed by a growing group of men, hiding out in caves and out-of-the-way towns, and pursued by a wicked King. David's crime was more or less being out of sync with the values and goals of the dishonorable King Saul, the father of his own wife (see, David knows what it's like to be an outlaw from your in-laws). David conducted himself differently from Saul and his court, making Saul look bad in comparison. And so David had to flee from "justice" which in this case was defined by a man who was filled with wickedness. But God is with the outlaws of the world. God is with the man or woman on the run, who has been driven "out of town" and pursued in anger, for the crime of being out of sync with this world and with the way that it does things. It is when you have been cast aside by the world and have placed yourself in God's hands alone that you begin to notice the blessing of God, as David did: You attract to yourself a group of people who also see that this world is not as it should be. You are given insight about how to carefully avoid the wounds that others intend to inflict upon those whose ways conflict with their ways. Opportunities that you could not have planned on suddenly materialize. And, if only momentarily, even those who meant to do you harm come to admit that you have been right. God's people will rarely be at perfect peace with a world that lives in opposition to God--we do not worship what they worship; our hopes are different; and our understanding of the created order is different. What we hold to be self-evident will often come to be seen as an affront to the world's competing value systems. But as we come to see God bless the holy outlaw, the righteous fugitive, and the pious rebel, we see that God is doing a work in and through his people even now. The one who, like David, was persecuted as a criminal will unite all those who are weary and afflicted. And the work that we see being accomplished even now in the time of our sojourning, will finally be brought to completion when the rightful King takes his place upon his throne.

2. United in purpose, favored by God (1 Chronicles 12:8-18). 

In 1 Chronicles 12, we see the gathering of warriors from various tribes of Israel to join David's cause. These valiant men, skilled in warfare, recognized David as the chosen leader anointed by God. Together, they formed a formidable fighting army, united in purpose, and devoted to the one who God had chosen to be King. This passage shows us the importance of uniting together as the body of Christ: when we stand together in faith, behind Jesus as our rallying focal point, we become instruments of God's favor and blessings. Just as David was surrounded by faithful allies, we too gather around Jesus and are united with fellow believers who strengthen one another and uplift each other in a common cause.

3. Finding peace in God's presence (Psalms 4 and 57).

The Psalms in these readings are a great part of this chronological plan, since we get to see what David's devotional and prayer life was like during these difficult days. Psalms 4 and 57, written by David during times of distress, offer us some profound insights into finding peace in God's presence. In Psalm 4, in the midst of incredible adversity, David pleads with God for deliverance, but ultimately acknowledges him as the true source of his peace even in the midst of adversity. In Psalm 57, David writes that he finds refuge in the shadow of God's wings, confident in his steadfast love and faithfulness. It's an interesting challenge for us as we read these words--what do we find peace in: our circumstances, or in the God who is bigger than our circumstances?

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? IN OUR WORSHIP we can respond by challenging ourselves to find comfort in God rather than in our circumstances, and by asking whether we are too much at ease right now because the world around us does not see us as fundamentally different from themselves--if that is the case, might this be a worship issue? IN OUR ACTIONS, we can surround ourselves with others who have united around the things of God, we can reach out to him in prayer in the midst of distress, and we can call to mind the different ways that we have incredible blessings in knowing Jesus that surpass anything that the world could offer in his place.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean