Trusting God

Ultimately, our relationship with God is based upon our trust in Him. Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV states, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

In summary, trusting in the Lord implies a relationship with God that invokes complete confidence in Him. Charles Wesley Naylor made the following statement regarding trust in God:

“Trust looks at things as they are. It sees the dangers that threaten and assesses them at their true value. It sees the need and does not try to disguise it. It sees the difficulties and does not discount them. But seeing all this, it looks beyond and sees God, His all-sufficient help. It sees Him greater than the needs, the dangers, or the difficulties, and it does not shrink before them. There is no fear in trust; the two are opposites. When we really fear, we are not fully trusting. When we trust, fear gives way to assurance.”

Our devotion this morning will focus on the topic, “Trusting in God,” based upon 1 Samuel 26:1–12. We will explore the following points:

• Trusting God Even When your enemy becomes vulnerable

• Trusting God

• When the spear is in your hand

Background

The biblical writer now gives a loosely connected account of David’s marshaling of his army and his initial rise to power. There is nothing particularly glamorous about it. Rather, David rose to power through simple trust and obedience to the Lord’s guidance. The central theme running throughout these narratives is the picture of the future king, David, following the words of the prophet Gad and inquiring of God’s will through the priests.

Throughout these chapters there is an underlying comparison between David’s actions and those of Saul. Saul is portrayed as disloyal to God and to his people, even while living in the land. David, by contrast, is portrayed as one who remained loyal to the Lord and to His people, even while living in exile.

David had now been on the run from Saul for several years. He finally reached a point where he and those allied with him began to take an offensive posture. Although it was a covert action, he was no longer simply playing defense and running away from Saul. This episode in David’s life reveals much about his character and his relationship with God.

Trusting God Even When Your Enemy Becomes Vulnerable

1 Samuel 26:6–9 KJV

“[6] Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. [7] So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. [8] Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. [9] And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?”

Two men were with David: Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother. More than one person in the Old Testament was named Ahimelech. Ethnically, this Ahimelech was a Hittite, though his name was Semitic. Some Gentiles identified with God’s people, embracing the Lord and His Word.

At night, David and Abishai, his nephew, passed through Saul’s camp while the soldiers were in a deep sleep sent from the Lord (v. 12). They arrived at the very center of the camp where Saul was asleep alongside Abner (v. 7).

Again, Saul was in a vulnerable position. In fact, Abishai interpreted the occasion as the Lord delivering Saul into David’s hand. Abishai was willing to take Saul’s life with one blow. He declared that a second strike would not be necessary because the first would be fatal.

In this episode of David’s life, we see the true character of David shine through. David had the opportunity to destroy Saul, his enemy. He could have killed him in his sleep, yet he refused to harm him. Instead, he commanded his companion not to touch Saul.

Consider this question: What would you do in the same situation? Your enemy becomes vulnerable, and now you have the opportunity to destroy the very person who tried to destroy you. David chose instead to allow God to deal with Saul. Why? Because 1 Samuel 26:9 states:

“And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?”

Although Saul was vulnerable, David refused to destroy him out of reverence for God. He placed his trust in God to deal with Saul in His own way and in His own time.

Trusting God

1 Samuel 26:9–10 KJV

“[9] And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? [10] David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.”

David placed his complete trust in God to deal with Saul. He feared dishonoring God more than he feared Saul himself. As a sign of his reverence for God, Saul’s life was spared.

When we truly trust God, we will often do the unthinkable, the extraordinary, and the amazing. Trusting God means resisting the urge to take vengeance into our own hands. It means believing that God sees what we see, knows what we know, and still remains in control.

When the Spear Is in Your Hand

1 Samuel 26:11–12 KJV

“[11] The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. [12] So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.”

Saul’s spear is mentioned six times in this episode, which is significant because it was likely the same spear Saul had previously hurled at David twice in an attempt to kill him. Taking Saul’s spear demonstrated David’s refusal to kill the king and gain the throne through murder.

What is remarkable is that the very spear once used against David was now in David’s hand. Yet David refused to use it for revenge. The contrast is powerful. David had both the opportunity and the weapon to strike back, but he chose restraint instead of retaliation.

This episode in David’s life is all about trusting God. Throughout the Book of Psalms, where David is a chief author, we repeatedly see the theme of trust in God. The word “trust” appears approximately seventy times in the Psalms. David completely trusted God.

Psalm 7:1 KJV

“O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me"

Psalm 18:30 KJV

“As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

Psalm 28:7 KJV

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

Conclusion

Trusting God is not merely believing that God exists; it is believing that God is able to handle every circumstance better than we can. David teaches us that true trust in God is revealed not when life is easy, but when we have the power to retaliate and choose instead to surrender the situation to God.

Anyone can trust God when the battle is over, but real faith trusts God when the spear is in your hand, when your enemy is vulnerable, and when vengeance seems justified. David understood that God’s purpose could never be fulfilled through sinful methods.

Likewise, we must learn to trust God enough to let Him fight our battles, direct our paths, and handle our enemies. When we trust Him completely, fear gives way to assurance, anger gives way to peace, and revenge gives way to righteousness.