Last week we learned that we
shouldn't critisize or publically ridicule or gossip about our
spiritual leaders. We should rather pray for them and uplift,
encourage and help them wherever we can.
Today I want us to look at the
opposite. It is when people let us down and criticize us. Let us
continue with the life of David.
David and his men were in Judah, as
God told them to go there through the prophet Gad. Whilst there he
heard that the Philistines were attacking Keilah. David then did
the right thing. He turned to God and asked Him what to do. God
told him to go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah. David's
men were naturally afraid to do that, because they weren't exactly
welcome in Judah in the first place. So David turned to God again
and God encouraged him:
"Arise, go down to Keilah. For
I will deliver the Philistines into your hand." 1 Samuel
23:4
God promised to be with him and
David was obedient. I love it how David was obedient the whole
time. He immediately reacted when God spoke. We can certainly learn
a great deal from him.
David and his men went down to
Keilah and saved all the inhabitants and defeated the Philistines.
Saul heard about this and immediately wanted to go there and kill
David. Look how twisted his mind is:
"God has delivered him into my
hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates
and bars." 1 Samuel 23:7
Saul actually believed that God was
helping him in this instance. I was actually shocked that he
believed that, seeing that he just mercilessly killed 85 of God's
priests and a whole innocent town. People can indeed be twisted and
believe the weirdest things in the Name of the Lord. One should be
careful from whom you take advice and word 'from the Lord'.
David heard from Keilah that Saul
was coming to kill him. He turned to the Lord immediately for
advice and the Lord told him that the people of Keilah will deliver
him to Saul. David once again listened to God and left Keilah in
order to be safe. When Saul heard this he didn't come to Keilah
anymore.
I wonder how David must have felt.
Here he went and saved the town of Keilah from certain death. He
had nothing to gain; he was literally just being obedient to God.
He saved a whole town from destruction. And when his life is
threatened God tells him that these very same people will turn on
him. I don't know about you, but I would have been upset. I just
saved their lives and now they are not prepared to stand up for me.
I was doing what the Lord placed on my heart, and what thanks do I
get?
People are fickle and can change
their attitude towards us at the first chance that they get. It has
happened many times that I have helped people and barely got a
thank you. It has happened countless times that people whom I have
done a lot for don't return the favor when I needed help. Many
times they even turned their back on me when I needed support the
most. Does it sound familiar? Through all of this I have learned
that Psalm 146 is so true! Let me quote verse 3-5:
"Do not put your trust in
princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His
spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans
perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose
hope is in the Lord his God."
I have learned not to place my
trust in men. Not to expect anything from them. I do not always get
it right; I must be honest, especially when it comes to people
close to me. But I am getting better, day by day with the strength
given to me from Above. My trust should be in Him and in Him alone.
My thank you will come from Him. My reward is from Him. He will
always be there for me, He will always help me. I am never alone
and I should never be afraid. The God of the Universe is with me,
what more can I want? He loves an obedient, willing heart and He
will reward my obedience. When? I don't know, but I know I can look
forward to it, just like David. David didn't retaliate against
these people who would have delivered him to Saul. He didn't get
even and waste his energy there. No, he moved on in the will of the
Lord and his reward was great.
Father, thank you that we can trust
in You. Our hope is in You and You alone. Our hearts sometimes get
hurt here on earth, as fellow human beings let us down. But thank
you that we can know that You will never let us down. We can always
trust in You. Hallelujah! Thank you Lord!! Amen