Being Merciful Even In Sticky Situations

# 307 - Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 21:1. Having finished the series on fasting, we return to our verse by verse exposition of 1 Samuel. “Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one is with you?" ( 1 Sam 21:1) This chapter is the beginning of the account of David fleeing from Saul. It was a very trying time for David. And as we shall see, trying times create desperate men who are capable of many things to save their skin. But trying times also give men the opportunity to be men of integrity and we will also see the integrity of David in the days ahead. God used these trying times for David as He uses them for us, to shape us into the children He wants us to be. Many of the blessed Psalms penned by David through the influence of the Holy Spirit were written from the trials he would face in the days ahead with the murderous Saul in pursuit, and those Psalms have served the Lord's children well throughout history as we deal with an enemy who is in hot pursuit of our souls as well. So we pick up the story with David on the lam. Jonathan has sent him off with an urgent warning, "Make haste, hurry, do not delay!" (1 Sam 20:38) The first place David heads to is Nob, which is called the city of the priests. This episode, by the way, was important enough to be cited in the New Testament by Jesus. There is a lesson in this incident that Jesus wanted us all to learn, and we'll get to that later. A quick lesson for us here today is that when we find ourselves in trial and turmoil, it is wise to head to fellow believers for counsel and prayer. David didn't just receive help from Ahimelech in the form of food and weaponry, but he also received intercessory prayer. 1Sa 22:10 tells us, "And he inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine." Sometimes, we are called upon to help other believers in a time of need. Sometimes we can even get caught in the middle of sticky situations, such as Ahimelech found himself. In such cases, error on the side of mercy as Ahimelech did. Pray for, and with those in dire straits, and seek to help them to the extent that you are able. Father, help us to overcome our fears, when it comes time to be merciful.