Presumptious Sinning

# 389 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 29:3-5, “Then the princes of the Philistines said, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, "Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me." 4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, "Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? 5 "Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: 'Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands'?" (1 Sam 29:3-5) All the battle ready divisions of the Philistines have passed in review in front of all the generals, and bringing up the rear is David and his men. WHAT?, the generals protest to the king. Hebrews for our rear guard? Isn't this the guy who has a history of kicking our butt? The king defends David citing his perceived loyalty of the past sixteen months to him. But the princes of the Philistines prevail and David and his men are relieved of their rear guard duty. Just try to imagine what was going through the hearts and minds of David and his men at this time. Up to this time they had been able to feign their loyalty to Achish but now they were marching in rank with the Philistines on the eve of battle with their own flesh and blood. Something would have to give here. Would David and his men turn on the Philistines or would they press on against their brothers. We'll never know because God acted in mercy and grace on David's behalf. He pulled the “I own the king's heart card” and delivered David from this mess. Pr 21:1 says, “ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” David dodged a bullet! This is not a green light for us to act in such a way that we put ourselves in “messy” conditions. As we read in Ro 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? No we must plead with David, “Ps 19:13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.” Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Father, I pray for those even now who are playing with spiritual fire. Deliver us all from presumptuous sinning.