C.A.C Living Water Daily Devotional Guide

Monday, July 29, 2024

(International Tiger Day)

BEWARE OF WHO YOU FIGHT AGAINST (II)

May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed (1 Samuel 26:23).

1 Samuel 26:17-25

[17]. Then Saul knew David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”

[18]. And he said, “Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For what have I done, or what evil is in my hand?

[19]. Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

[20]. So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

[21]. Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

[22]. And David answered and said, “Here is the king’s spear. Let one of the young men come over and get it.

[23]. May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

[24]. And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”

[25]. Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David! You shall both do great things and also still prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

The Saul-David case is another war worthy of mention here. Why was Saul really pursuing one as old as his own son, Jonathan? David queried, _Why does my lord thus pursue his servant? For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains (1 Sam. 26:18,20). Yet Saul continued to aim at David’s life, like a tiger aiming at its prey as the world commemorates International Tiger Day today. It was too late to accept that he had messed with the wrong person (31:1ff). Even the supreme head of the company of the dark forces fighting against God and man is described as a strongman. This is according to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Matt. 12-29). That is why our Lord Jesus Christ and all the Apostles jointly admonish faith, prayer, fasting, humility, soberness, submission to God, putting on the whole armour of God, and use of the blood of Jesus (Matt. 17-20, 21; Eph. 6:10-19; Jam. 4:6,7; 1 Pet. 5:6-9; Rev. 12:9-11) as strategies to win battles of life. ‘To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail’, so goes the popular saying. It is wrong for you to fight God, or His agents, who are sent to better your life, such as angels, your parents, men and women of God, your benefactor, and your spouse. Beware of who you fight with, lest you mess with the wrong person and be messed up in the end.

1. Lord, deliver me from bitter jealousy and envy that makes one to be fighting the wrong persons.

2. Holy Spirit, help me out of every bad fight that can ruin my life in the end.

3. Pray against the spirit of error that makes church members fight their ministers for any reason.

1. Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us.

O’er the world’s tempestuous sea;

Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,

For we have no help but Thee,

Yet possessing every blessing

If our God, our Father be.

2. Saviour, breathe forgiveness on us;

All our weakness, Thou dost know;

Thou didst tread this earth before us.

Thou didst feel its keenest woe;

Lone and dready; faint and weary,

Through the desert, Thou didst go.

3. Spirit of our God, descending

Fill our hearts with heavenly joy,

Love with every passion blending,

Pleasure that can never cloy;

Thus provided, pardon’d, guided,

Nothing can our peace destroy.

Amen.

Song of Solomon 3, 4, 5