The Conversations We Have

04.23.14

1 Samuel 27.1 1 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

1 Samuel 27.12 12 Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.” (NIV)

For the person on this earth, even the person who believes in Christ, not every day is a day of victory. That’s not to say they aren’t saved and the promises of heaven aren’t theirs – it’s just that we all are human and we all are subject to the way life is on this planet and not every day is a day of victory.

1 Samuel 27 is one of those passages that shows David taking action based on reaction. David said, “…The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” That wasn’t the best thing he could do, but that’s what he thought – that’s the conversation he had. And so he did what he decided he should do and he went to Philistia and served Achish.

In verse 12 of 1 Samuel 27 it also says: Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.” Achish had a conversation with himself and concluded he owned David. Permanently.

The problem with our conversations is they come from within us, and mostly reveal what is in our heart. In this case David, anointed of the Lord; the next king, mighty warrior and all, had his doubts. Saul was such a pain in the ### and David, human that he was, was beginning to wear down. And David’s conversation reveals that to us.

Achish thought he had a trump-card in David; he thought he had a lifelong asset. Achish thought David was just like him. Achish had heard all the reports and knew David was on the ropes politically so Achish appears to maybe exploit this to his own advantage – just a bit. So Achish tells himself, “David is mine!”

What do the conversations we have with ourselves tell us about who we really are and what we really think? We have the conversations all the time. And where in those conversations do we stop and ask, “God, what do You think; how should I handle this?” Conversations without God usually always lead to conversations with just ourselves and that usually always spells deceived, disappointed or worse, disastrous.

I think God had this recorded in His word to help me to check my self-conversations. I think God would have me talk out loud to Him and let Him tell me what the real issues are and what’s the best direction to go.

Father, help me to be brave enough and wise enough to include You in my conversations and in my decision making. I need You and I cannot continue to say that and then go and do as I please. Lead me Lord and help me to always have all of my conversations with You. Amen.