The ‘Best Thing’

1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10 

“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 27:1

Fear causes us to rationalize many decisions and even claim them as God’s best for us.

 When we are in the crucible of testing, what is the best thing we can do?

In David’s mind it was to find refuge in the home city of Goliath, the Philistine giant. Gath was still home to a number of Goliath’s brothers, also to giants who would oppose Israel. It’s never the best thing to find refuge in the enemy’s camp. When we seek relaxation in sin we are actually harming ourselves, not finding the peace we are looking for. David was forced to kill many innocent people on his raids from Ziklag; he lied about those raids to the king of Gath. Eventually all of his possessions and families were taken by raiders themselves. It’s never the “best thing” to find refuge in the camp of the enemy.

“Lord Jesus, I repent for finding refuge in entertainment or pleasures that don’t restore my Spirit. You are my refuge.”