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LORD of our stressful lives

1 Samuel 18:17-30 (JDV)

1 Samuel 18:17 Saul told David, “Notice my oldest daughter Merab. I’ll give her to you as a wife, if you will be efficient for me and fight Yahveh’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I don’t need to raise a hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
1 Samuel 18:18 Then David responded, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”
1 Samuel 18:19 When it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.
1 Samuel 18:20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal cared for David, and when it was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
1 Samuel 18:21 “I’ll give her to him,” Saul thought. “She’ll be a trap for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.” So, Saul said to David a second time, “You can now be my son-in-law.”
1 Samuel 18:22 Saul then ordered his servants, “Speak to David in private and tell him, ‘Notice, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants care for you. Therefore, you should become the king’s son-in-law.'”
1 Samuel 18:23 Saul’s servants reported these words directly to David, but he replied, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law? I am a poor commoner.”
1 Samuel 18:24 The servants reported back to Saul, “These are the words David spoke.”
1 Samuel 18:25 Then Saul replied, “Say this to David: ‘The king desires no other bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'” Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.
1 Samuel 18:26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,
1 Samuel 18:27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as full payment to the king to become his son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife.
1 Samuel 18:28 Saul realized that Yahveh was with David and that his daughter Michal cared for him,
1 Samuel 18:29 and he became even more afraid of David. As a result, Saul was David’s enemy from then on.
1 Samuel 18:30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out to fight, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers. So, his name became well known.

LORD of our stressful lives

Things change in life and often seem like they are spiraling out of control. Such was the case with David and his relationship with king Saul. David could do nothing right in Saul’s eyes. His friendship with Jonathan, his reputation as a warrior, his music, his marriage to Michal, his success against the Philistines – everything that David did just made Saul angrier. Tension was increasing, but things were not really out of control. God was in control.

LORD, you are the LORD of our stressful lives. May we stay tuned to your presence, and trust your plan.