1 Samuel 19:18-24

Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

– 1 Samuel 19:18-24

Devotion

Saul continued to pursue David due to his jealousy and fear. David fled to Naioth in Ramah where he lived with Samuel and the prophets. Saul sent messengers to capture David three times, and all three sets of messengers began to prophesy. The power of God was so overwhelming that these men could not continue with their mission to capture David as they buckled under the power of Yahweh. Saul decided to pursue David himself, expecting that he would succeed where the others failed. Like all of the messengers before him, Saul was overcome by the presence of Yahweh and found himself on his face, prophesying before God day and night – naked! You cannot expect to fight against God and win!

God is sovereign. We may find ourselves at odds with God’s plans and, instead of relinquishing our control, we find ourselves fighting against the Lord. Saul should have realized that his plans were not going to succeed in pursuing David, who was now the Lord’s anointed. Instead, blinded by his fear and jealousy, he continued to pursue David thinking that he was in control, mistakenly believing that he was more powerful than God himself.

The Big Question

Do you find yourself pursuing your own desires without asking God’s will? Have you ever considered that your plans may not be God’s plans and you may be fighting against God himself? How can you relinquish your desires to God’s will?

Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.