A Heart After God’s Wisdom

A HEART AFTER GOD’S WISDOM

a prayer to open

My Lord, my God, show me your heart. Ground me in your presence.

Draw me near and hold me close.

Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. . . . “God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” So Saul mobilized his entire army to . . . besiege David and his men.

But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do. Then David prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell me.”

And the LORD said, “He will come.”

Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?”

And the LORD replied, “Yes, they will betray you.”

So David and his men . . . left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped. . . . David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.

One day . . . David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him. Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God. “Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.” So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. . . .

But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him. “We know where David is hiding,” they said. . . . “Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!”

“The LORD bless you,” Saul said. . . . “Go and check again to be sure of where he is staying and who has seen him there. . . . Then I’ll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I’ll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!” So the men of Ziph returned home ahead of Saul.

Meanwhile, David and his men had moved into the wilderness. . . . When David heard that Saul and his men were searching for him, he went even farther into the wilderness to the great rock, and he remained there. . . . But Saul kept after him in the wilderness.

Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men, an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again. So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape.

In this passage, Saul stopped seeking God’s guidance entirely and was overtaken by his desire to murder David. Saul had relied on his own wisdom and failed to defend his people and defeat the Philistines. David, on the other hand, specifically sought God’s will before acting, and God protected him. We have the same choice as Saul and David—God still speaks to his people today, communicating his will primarily through Scripture. Will we listen, or will we follow our own wisdom?

• Where do you see God’s presence and intervention in this passage?
• How can you tell the difference between God’s wisdom and your own? What most often motivates your wisdom in a situation?
• In what area of your life are you currently wanting to know God’s will and wisdom? What are some steps you can take to seek clarity?

Father, I need your wisdom and guidance. So often I have relied on my own wisdom, motivated by my desires instead of yours. Please lead me in your ways and keep me attuned to your Spirit. Guide me as I make decisions and engage with my family and friends. Transform my heart and mind so I reflect Christ’s love to the world. May your will be done in and through me. Amen.