October 17

Morning

David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” — 1 Sam 27:1 BSB

David’s thought at this time was based on a false assumption. He had no reason to believe that God’s anointing through Samuel was intended to be without fulfillment or meaning. There wasn’t a single instance where the Lord had abandoned His servant. David had been in perilous situations many times, but in each case, God had intervened and delivered him. His trials had taken many forms, but in every situation, the One who allowed the trial had also provided a way out.

David couldn’t point to any event in his life and say, “Here is proof that God will forsake me,” because the entirety of his life up to that point showed the opposite. He should have reasoned from his past experiences of God’s faithfulness that God would continue to be his protector.

Don’t we often doubt God’s help in the same way? Isn’t our mistrust completely unwarranted? Have we ever had a reason to question our Father’s goodness? Haven’t His acts of lovingkindness been remarkable? Has He ever failed to prove Himself worthy of our trust? No, never! God has never abandoned us. We’ve had dark nights, but His star of love has always shone through the darkness. We’ve been through fierce battles, but He has always held His shield over us. We’ve endured many trials, but they’ve never harmed us—they’ve only worked for our good. The conclusion from our past is that He who has delivered us from six troubles will not leave us in the seventh. Everything we know about our faithful God proves that He will sustain us until the end.

Let us not, then, reason against the evidence. How can we be so ungrateful as to doubt our God? Lord, cast down the unbelief in our hearts, and let it be devoured like Jezebel by the dogs!

Evening

He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes. — Isa 40:11 BSB

Our good Shepherd cares for all His flock, regardless of their strength or weakness. Some are strong in faith, while others are weak, but He watches over each one with impartial care. Even the weakest lamb is as dear to Him as the strongest sheep. Lambs tend to lag behind, wander off, and grow weary, but the Shepherd protects them from all danger with His mighty arm. He finds newborn souls, like fragile lambs, ready to perish, and nourishes them until they grow strong. He comforts the faint-hearted and strengthens the weak. He gathers the little ones in His arms, for it is not the will of our heavenly Father that even one of them should be lost. What a keen eye He must have to see them all! What a tender heart to care for each one! What a powerful arm to gather them all together!

During His time on earth, He showed special care for the weak, and now, even from heaven, His heart longs for the meek, the timid, the fearful, and the faint. How gently He drew me to Himself, to His truth, to His love, to His grace! With what irresistible kindness did He bring me to Him! And since my conversion, how many times has He brought me back from wandering, gathering me again in the safety of His everlasting arms.

The most amazing part is that He does all of this personally. He doesn’t delegate His love or care—He Himself rescues and preserves His sheep. How can I love Him enough, or serve Him as He deserves? I long to make His name known throughout the world, but what can my weakness accomplish for Him? Great Shepherd, show me one more mercy—a heart that loves You more deeply and truly, as I ought.