Obedience and Faith
1 Samuel 23:1–15
Paul J. Bucknell
Keilah’s need | Two tests of faith | Obedience and faith
Application
Do I always lead based on what is right and what God desires? Do I have enough courage to approach God alone about a specific issue? Do I work closely enough with God’s people so they trust how I hear God?
I am not the best leader. Though I am willing to go alone, I struggle to convince others. I am not confident or bold enough to put the issue before everyone: “This is God’s way.” So I often tend to lead alone and lack the communication needed to work with God’s people.
Fortunately, David and God went out together with the army. Whether David asked the people or they simply set one condition for him before leading them, such as: Try asking God one more time to be sure. God responded, and the men went to fight against the Philistines in obedience and trust.
4 Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand." 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines;
They won the war, but as expected, they not only gained the hatred of the Philistines, but Saul also exploited the situation to try to destroy David. We should remember that this whole scenario took place before David sinned. This persecution wasn’t because he did wrong, but because he was seen as a threat. Even in this difficult time, we can clearly see David’s love for God’s people. However, despite his good heart and bravery in helping Keilah, there was no relief. God did not intervene to end the oppression. Instead, it only worsened. Now, the Philistines would also be an open enemy.
What enabled David to fight and win? It was his faith, just like in the old days with Goliath. Indeed, there were many more complicated factors in this case. The situation became more difficult, but the outcome was the same. God would always come through. God would handle the battle, which we are not even really discussing here, and God would resolve all the other issues. David focused more on obedience and trusting God to handle the details. This allowed him to do what he could and rely on God for the rest. Many of us like to control the details ourselves. As a result, we become overwhelmed and give up, or we overestimate our abilities and create many problems. Worry arises from trusting in our own methods of solving problems. True faith is trusting God to solve them. When we try to handle everything ourselves, it usually leads to a situation that is beyond our control. This is due to two reasons:
1) God is drawing us to trust Him and not ourselves, and
2) We have not used God’s way and therefore will hit hidden snags.
Application
Obedience does not always lessen friction. Sometimes, greater oppression and challenges arise through acts of faith and obedience. We should not be fooled into believing that obedience is easy once it is done. Like David, we need to focus on the God who handles all the details, even those we cannot see.
Let me summarize some lessons from this section.
- The vulnerable and unrecognized are often targeted.
- God provides chances for the stronger or brother to aid the weak during these times.
- Our genuine values and beliefs are reflected in how we respond to our brother’s needs.
- Helping our brother in need is rarely convenient and easy; it comes with a cost.
- It’s easier to ignore our brother’s needs and prioritize our own safety and security.
- A good leader will find out what God wants, speak to the people, and guide them to do what is good and right, rather than protecting themselves.
In closing, let us consider what ultimately enabled David to lead these unruly, insecure men to fight Keilah. He spoke with them once, and they had issues with that. David could have given up at that point. He could have said, “I have tried.” But he went back to the Lord. It is not clear whether the men asked him to consult with God again or if he returned to God on his own. However, it is clear that David was following God’s direction, and the men recognized his authority. They knew he could be trusted to lead them. David must have earned great trust from the men, which he built through his care for them and his consistent faith in battle. This was nothing new. Every fight or challenge was an opportunity for faith.
Application
It’s difficult to ask for this kind of faith. The only way to obtain it is by facing uncomfortable and desperate situations. It rarely only impacts your own life. God desires others to see us trust Him, so He receives the glory. We become examples so that people can strengthen their faith in God. It’s not easy. But the faith and the journey remarkably showcase God’s abundant grace and peace that He gives to all of us.