Day 19: Absolute Dependence

Read: 1 Samuel 23

1 Samuel 23 | NIV Bible | YouVersion


As we read through today’s Scripture passage, we see that David was being relentlessly hunted by King Saul.  He fled into the desert, but even there, King Saul and his armies continued to pursue him.  It seemed like there was no escape and no end in sight.

God had already chosen and anointed David to be the next king.  He had already helped him to defeat Goliath.  We can see the hand of God on David’s life.  But God still allowed this brutal season of living life as a fugitive to drag on and on.  Why?

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?  Why does God allow His children to suffer?  Perhaps in David’s case, God was preparing him for the crown.  He was refining him in the desert.  David became known as a man after God’s own heart.  Think of that!  What an incredible description!

Somehow, David learned to be totally dependent on God, to rely on Him in every situation.  Perhaps this was a lesson learned in the desperation of the desert.  In his frantic escape from Saul’s dogged pursuit, David had no one else he could depend on or turn to—only God.

And that’s not necessarily a bad place to be.  Far too often, we depend on our own wits or skill, or strength, forgetting how utterly dependent we are on God, right down to the very air we breathe.  Think of that!  We couldn’t even take a single breath were it not for God!  He created our respiratory systems.  He provides us with the oxygen in our environment.  Without God, we can do NOTHING.  No thing.  NOT. ONE. SINGLE. SOLITARY. THING.

This is one of the lessons of the desert, and it’s a big one.  The lesson of dependency.  Utter helplessness and hopelessness without God.


Listen: Aaron Shust - My Hope Is In You (Official Video) - YouTube

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