1 Samuel 29:9

New International Version

Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’

For Meditation

What was David thinking when he marched with Achish into battle against Israel? This question is one of the many we must ask many Biblical heroes and heroines when we get to heaven. I have mine, and you have yours, but David had a problem here.

Here we find David, the anointed future king of Israel, facing a relatable dilemma-where does his loyalty truly lie, with Achish or Israel?

We’ve all encountered such dilemmas—situations that test our loyalty. How do we navigate them, and what can we expect in return?

Fortunately, the Philistine commanders rescued David (4-5), but he questioned Achish about his decision to send him and his men back to Ziklag (8-10). However, you could hear David breathe a gigantic sigh of relief.

In all this, God was working for David as He has worked for many of us in different but similar circumstances. Consider the times you lost it between the hard place and the rock—the moments when your mind had reached its horizon and couldn’t function anymore. How can your Thanksgiving fountain dry so soon?

God would not allow His anointed king to act against his conscience or show ingratitude. His gracious hand intervened, just as it does in our lives, pulling David back to Ziklag.

Say hallelujah with the loudest shout when God tells you to give him thanks in every situation. The Amalekites had ransacked Ziklag and taken the women and everybody else in the town captive (30:1-2). Imagine David and his men staying away for as long as the war would have lasted—but now they have time to recover their family members and restore their lives.

Isn’t God good?

It hurts when people reject or leave you out of something you deserve. I can imagine your struggle. Maybe this is the response to the questions you have posed to the Lord all year long—why, Lord? Take the time to meditate on this story of David, Achish, and the Amalekites before the end of the year, and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you.

May the Lord sanctify your heart and leave no bitterness before you enter the year 2025. May He open your heart for you to smile, with thanks welling up in worship of His mercy and grace, as you see His goodness in your disappointment.

Pray with Me

Father, I thank you for your absolute knowledge and deliverance from the dilemmas of my life. May your grace guide me to accept disappointments and rejections as blessings from you in Christ Jesus. Amen.