HARD TIMES - David
Hide and seek is a great game. We play the game at night with the lights off sometimes. So funny when there is someone and you just can’t find them even when you have looked millions of times! Another awesome version is Hide and seek Tip, where you start off hiding.
My favourite spots to hide are usually in a wardrobe behind the clothing so that when someone looks in there, they still can’t find me!
What do you think?
Are you ever tempted to do bad things or break rules when you are in hard situations?
When you are being bullied, are you ever tempted to hit, smack or punch the bully?
When you are super hungry, are you ever tempted to steal food?
When you are not allowed to do something that you really want to do, do you do it anyway?
Today’s story is about David, who faced a really hard time playing a mammoth game of hide and seek but might get killed if found, and he did not get want to do any evil, even when presented with multiple opportunities!
Story Time!
David was the boy who fought Goliath. He was the youngest brother of 8. He was a shepherd, he was faithful to God, he played the harp so well that King Saul requested his music to calm his nerves and he was an amazing soldier, going to battle to protect the promised land from invaders over and over again.
David was so amazing that King Saul got jealous. Everyone said he was the better soldier. People loved David. So Saul tried to kill David and chased him around the countryside. Saul tried to get an army together to hunt David, but everyone loved David, and said that he was so loyal to God and Israel and reminded Saul that David was his son in law (David had married Saul’s daughter. David’s best friend was also Saul’s son Jonathon.)
Some priest protected David, gave him food and weapons, but Saul found out and punished them by death.
Many more people heard about the chase for David and tried to help him. His family went with him because they were in danger too. Some came to David because they were angry or in debt or in trouble. David ended up having over 400 people with him as he tried to hide from King Saul
David tried to look after everyone. They lived in Adullam Cave for a while, then David worked out for his family to live in safety in Moab, where Ruth was from.
Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 23:14-17
“David stayed in hideouts in the hill country of Ziph Desert. Saul kept searching, but God never let Saul catch him.
One time, David was at Horesh in Ziph Desert. He was afraid becauseSaul had come to the area to kill him.But Jonathan went to see David, and God helped him encourage David. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan said. “My father Saul will never get his hands on you. In fact, you’re going to be the next king of Israel, and I’ll be your highest official. Even my father knows it’s true.”
At one point David was hiding on one side of a hill and Saul was on the other. David was nearly cornered, but God was still looking after him. A messenger came with an emergency for Saul and he had to abandon the chase for a while. David was safe.
Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 24
When Saul had dealt with his emergency, “he heard that David was in the desert around En-Gedi.Saul led three thousand of Israel’s best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi.There were some sheep pens along the side of the road, and one of them was built around the entrance to a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself.
David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. They whispered to David, “The Lord told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the Lord was talking about.”
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece[a] of Saul’s robe, but Saul didn’t notice a thing.Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, and he told his men, “Stop talking foolishly. We’re not going to attack Saul. He’s my king, and I pray that the Lord will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king.”
Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8 Soon, David also got up and left the cave. “Your Majesty!” he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very lowand said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I’m trying to harm you? You can see for yourself that the Lord gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn’t let them do it. I told them, “I will not harm the Lord’s chosen king!”Your Majesty, look at what I’m holding. You can see that it’s a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I’m not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven’t done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
I’ll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you’re doing to me, but I won’t do anything to you. An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won’t harm you.”
Saul was struck by David’s kindness and went home. David went back to his cave.
But yet another time Saul heard where David was. David sent out some spies when he heard Saul was tracking him.
That same night, David and Abishai crept into the camp. Saul was sleeping, and his spear was stuck in the ground not far from his head. Abner and the soldiers were sound asleep all around him.
Abishai whispered, “This time God has let you get your hands on your enemy! I’ll pin him to the ground with one thrust of his own spear.”
“Don’t kill him!” David whispered back. “The Lord will punish anyone who kills his chosen king. As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord will kill Saul, or Saul will die a natural death or be killed in battle.But I pray that the Lord will keep me from harming his chosen king. Let’s grab his spear and his water jar and get out of here!”
David took the spear and the water jar, then left the camp. None of Saul’s soldiers knew what had happened or even woke up—the Lord had made all of them fall sound asleep.David and Abishai crossed the valley and went to the top of the next hill, where they were at a safe distance.“Abner!” David shouted toward Saul’s army. “Can you hear me?”
Abner shouted back. “Who dares disturb the king?”
“Abner, what kind of a man are you?” David replied. “Aren’t you supposed to be the best soldier in Israel? Then why didn’t you protect your king? Anyone who went into your camp could have killed him tonight.You’re a complete failure! I swear by the living Lord that you and your men deserve to die for not protecting the Lord’s chosen king. Look and see if you can find the king’s spear and the water jar that were near his head.”
Saul could tell it was David’s voice, and he called out, “David, my son! Is that you?”
“Yes it is, Your Majesty.Why are you after me? Have I done something wrong, or have I committed a crime?Please listen to what I have to say. If the Lord has turned you against me, maybe a sacrifice will make him change his mind. But if some people have turned you against me, I hope the Lord will punish them! They have forced me to leave the land that belongs to the Lord and have told me to worship foreign gods.Don’t let me die in a land far away from the Lord. I’m no more important than a flea! Why should the king of Israel hunt me down as if I were a bird in the mountains?”
“David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn’t. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I’ve acted like a fool, but I’ll never try to harm you again. You’re like a son to me, so please come back.”
“Your Majesty, here’s your spear! Have one of your soldiers come and get it.The Lord put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn’t harm you. The Lord rewards people who are faithful and live right. I saved your life today, and I pray that the Lord will protect me and keep me safe.”
“David, my son, I pray that the Lord will bless you and make you successful!”
Saul continued to hunt David for about 7 years! Once Saul had died, in a battle, David became King.
Bible Passage: Psalm 63:4-8
"As long as I live,
I will pray to you.
I will sing joyful praises
and be filled with excitement
like a guest at a banquet.
I think about you
before I go to sleep,
and my thoughts turn to you
during the night.
You have helped me,
and I sing happy songs
in the shadow of your wings.
I stay close to you,
and your powerful arm
supports me.”
When you are going through hard times, do not sin. Keep on doing good. Do not do evil. I can imagine that it is especially hard when someone is hunting you to kill you, but this is unlikely in your life if you live in Australia. But if you are feeling like you want to repay someone for the evil they have done and get revenge, please pray to God first and see what he wants you to do. Test everything and trust him.
Question Time!
What is it that made David determined to do the right thing no matter what?
Are you determined to do the right thing no matter what? Why/why not?
