The people of God will meet with trials and tribulation. It is a lie to think that the moment we become Christians, we will have a smooth sailing life, free from pain and sufferings. In fact, sometimes, most of the time, God will shape us through trials in order that we will grow in Christlikeness and in intimacy with Him.

This was true for David. King Saul had attempted multiple times to kill David. He had tried to kill David by throwing spears at him, made David enter into multiple battle fields with the evil intention of letting him die in the hands of their enemies. King Saul made it explicit to his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David (v1) because David was a threat to his throne. But while there is malice in every attempt, God protected David at each step of the way.

In chapter 19, David escaped four near death experiences, but God intervened in each circumstance. Firstly, Jonathan mediated on behalf of David. Because of Jonathan’s deep friendship with David, Jonathan warned him of Saul’s pursuit, and later he arbitrated reconciliation between them. In the second instance, David’s own quick reflexes saved him. An evil spirit came upon Saul, and Saul attempted to spear David to the wall, only to be eluded by David again. David’s third escape was because David’s wife, Michal saved him from her own father pursuit. She had gathered news of Saul’s plan to send men to David’s house to kill him in the morning (v11) and her quick and decisive plans saved him from the tragedy. Finally, Samuel protected David. When Samuel led David to reside in Naioth, Saul sent a series of messengers with the intention to capture David and kill him, but they failed. Instead each of them started prophesying. In anger, Saul went up himself to capture David, but found himself prophesying too. God protected David through His divine intervention and no man could harm God’s people.

In the same way, the people of God will meet with trials and tribulations, but what sets us apart is that God will redeem us. David had experienced the Lord since he was a shepherd boy and his past experiences had helped him to turn to the Lord in his distress. David wrote psalms 59 when he was pursued by Saul, and David said in verses 16 and 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 fortressand 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.

David was not without fear nor anger in this season of persecution. Through the psalms, he voiced intensive pain and fear, and there were moments where he laments because he could not understand why he had to suffer greatly. But at the end of each psalm, he praised God because he understood deep inside that God is sovereign and He is with David. He understand that God’s grace will carry him through. Dear brothers and sisters, God’s grace is sufficient for each of us. His divine protection is upon us, and we can trust that His will is perfect.

Prayer: Dear God, you are my fortress and our refuge. I know that you will protect us in my times of needs and trials. Please help me to abide in You always, especially in those hard times when I am tempted to do things according to my own way. In Jesus name we pray, amen.