March 28, 2025

1 Samuel 16:14-23 (HCSB)
David in Saul’s Court
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15 so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God troubles you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.”
17 Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”
19 Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23 Whenever the spirit from God troubled Saul, David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

Cliff Bynum
C.S. Lewis says: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek, find. Those who knock, it is opened.” Saul continually wanted to do things his own way, so in verse 14 it says, “God’s spirit left him and an evil spirit began to torment him.” God finally had enough, and He let Saul have it his way, the way he wanted. Many times, we feel we know what is best for us and even when it blows up in our face, we still don’t suffer the way we deserve, because the consequences have been lightened for us. We still suffer but not as bad as we could. 
But imagine if the provisions that God provides us were gone and we were left to endure the suffering and the outcome of our consequences. I feel that this is what Saul was experiencing.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for Your provisions. Thank you for not leaving my side even when I want to “do it my way.” Thank you for Your guidance and lessons of how I should act, and most importantly that You have the best intentions for me and my life. Amen