Fear often leads us astray

Psalm 59

Once more, we look at 1 Samuel to have an understanding of what the Psalmist is telling us.  Look at 1 Samuel 19:11-12: “Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.  Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped.”  We must remember that Michal is the daughter of King Saul and has learned well from her dad, as we will see in verses 13-17, “Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” ¹⁵ Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.”   And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.  Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’” 

If you are a coward and Saul fits that role well, he knows God has anointed David to be the next king of Israel, and though Saul often leads the army of Israel into battle, power, hate, and fear have totally made him a weak king.  He would not face Goliath but sent out a shepherd boy to face the giant.  You know how that came out, and I bet you understand that Saul ignored God’s commandment by not waiting for Samuel, in fear of the people, and made a sacrifice that only a priest could make.  On that day, God left Saul and told Samuel to go to Jesses' home and anoint one of his sons as the new King of Israel.

What we see is a man without God allowing his flesh and fears to turn into hate for anyone that might take their place.  Saul's actions of taking authority only given to God’s priest or prophet had become a target for God’s judgment.  The same is being played out today from much of Congress.  In their hatred for the President of the United States, and they look foolish to the voters.  The sad thing is many who go by the name of Christian are joining the group.  Instead of doing what God requires of all who are followers of Christ, to pray for your leaders.  I've wrestled with my emotions because my flesh despises many of those who know the truth but keep up the attack against President Trump. 

Now let me be open, I’m a mess, and so are you, and so are those who accuse and lie, and so is the President.  Never forget the danger in power and fear, it often makes one seek their way and not God’s.  You should read Psalm 59 and look at how it ends in verses16-17, “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.  For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.  O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me, steadfast love.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice