David Bahn – Reflections

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18, Psalm 119:121-144.

2 Samuel 9:2-12

(Selected Verses)

Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” ³ And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” ⁵ Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. ⁶ And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” ⁷ And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” ⁸ And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

⁹ Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. ¹⁰ And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³ So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

King David was ruthless in battle — hamstringing the horses of conquered enemies, lining men up to be executed, and overcoming thousands by the sword. He was a man of war. In the coming days we will read that he was not permitted to build a temple to the Lord for that reason. “You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth” (1 Chronicles 22:7–8).

Even so, however, there is a kind facet to David’s character that shows up in a striking way in the reading for today. When he discovers that Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth is alive – crippled in his feet, as we read earlier (2 Samuel 4:4) – we see a very different side of David.

I wonder what Mephibosheth’s life was like before David sent for him and provided so graciously for his welfare? Perhaps the family at Lo-debar were very kind to him. Maybe they cared for him as their own son. But it is likely that their resources were not nearly as expansive as what David could offer. What’s more, David had him eat at the king’s table. What care and compassion he was shown.

I cannot help but think of the widow of Nain whose son Jesus raised as they were on the way to bury him. I think of the man at the pool of Bethesda, who could not get into the water until Jesus told him to rise, take up his mat, and walk. I love thinking of the man who was let down through the roof where Jesus was teaching and who was healed because of their faith – the faith of the man and his friends. The woman with the 12 year issue of blood. The 12 year old girl. The blind man on the side of the road. Each were touched by the kindness of Jesus.

David is a type of Jesus. Jesus is called the Son of David. That title speaks to Jesus’ kingly authority — and also points us to the kind of mercy and compassion we see reflected, however imperfectly, in David.

I’ll be looking for opportunities to reflect the kindness of God to the people I encounter, and I encourage you to do the same. After all, we have seen the kindness of God in Jesus, as it says in Titus 3:4-5, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us…” And when we experience such kindness from others, we remember that “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). It leads us to faith, to thanksgiving, and to lives that reflect that same kindness toward others, whether they are weak or strong.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Chronicles 11-12, 2 Samuel 5, Psalm 119:49-72.

1 Chronicles 11:1-10

Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. ² In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

⁴ And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. ⁵ The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. ⁶ David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab … went up first, so he became chief. ⁷ And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. ⁸ And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. ⁹ And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

¹⁰ Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

There is clear overlap between 1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 5, especially in David’s anointing as king and his capture of Jerusalem. Chronicles retells these events briefly, but then expands the picture. Chapter 11 turns to David’s mighty men, and chapter 12 adds what Samuel does not – a wide-ranging account of people from all the tribes who came to support him. Where Samuel tells the story, Chronicles highlights the unity of God’s people and the Lord’s hand at work.

The benefit of having both accounts is the perspective they provide. Samuel shows David as he was – both faithful and flawed. Chronicles shows David as the Lord used him – as part of his larger saving purposes.

And that broader picture is especially evident in the way each account speaks of David’s mighty men.

Even here the emphasis differs. Samuel reports their deeds; Chronicles highlights their role in God’s larger work through David. And I have to admit, I have a special place in my heart for David’s mighty men – because that’s what I called the elders at St. John, where I served as senior pastor for the last 16 years of my full-time ministry.

Over time, that group of men changed significantly. They moved from being a board to whom I was accountable to a group marked by prayer, encouragement, and mutual conversation and support. When we shifted to a policy-based governance model, the Board of Elders – as a board – went away. But the elders themselves did not. In fact, God allowed us to recruit many more, until there were about 40 men serving in that role. And yes, I called them David’s Mighty Men.

I do not presume to place myself on the level of King David. And these men were not called to go to war – except perhaps in the spiritual sense. But their support and encouragement meant more than I can say. One of the greatest gifts was our time together in prayer. Often the first 20 to 40 minutes of our meetings were spent almost entirely in prayer. As a pastor, I knew I could count on them – to stand in the gap, to lift me up, and to pray for the people of our congregation. They were a great blessing.

And in truth, we all need that. We need mighty men or wise women to walk with us in faith. God never intended us to be alone. From the beginning, he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” We need one another. And in his grace, God gives us a community of people – redeemed by Christ, called to love and support one another in life and in faith.

Whoever those people are for you – mighty men or wise women – receive them as the gifts of God they are. Listen to them. Join them in prayer. Seek their guidance. Receive their support. Who says only King David can have such people in his life? Not God; that’s for sure!

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Chronicles 9-10, Psalm 119:25-48.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14

So Saul diedfor his breach of faith. He broke faith with theLordin that he did not keep the command of theLord, and alsoconsulted a medium, seeking guidance.¹⁴Hedid not seek guidance from theLord. Therefore theLordput him to death andturned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

Psalm 119:29-32

Put false ways far from me
    and graciously teach me your law!
³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
    I set your rules before me.
³¹ I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
    let me not be put to shame!
³² I will run in the way of your commandments
    when you enlarge my heart!

If you’re looking for an object lesson in what it means to drift from God’s word — and a reason to pray Psalm 119 with some urgency — the life and death of Saul would be near the top of the list.

The Chronicler puts it very simply: Saul died for his breach of faith.

And when you step back and look at his life, it really does read like a tragedy. Here is a man who had everything — stature, strength, the Lord’s anointing, early success as a leader. And yet, over time, it all unravels. He turns away from the Lord, gives himself over to fear and pride, and loses the very thing that had made him king.

There are moments where it almost seems like he’s trying to set things right — casting out mediums, tearing down what is false. But even that feels more like desperation than repentance. Because in the end, when the Lord no longer answers him, Saul turns to the very thing he once condemned — seeking out a medium at Endor, grasping for a word from anywhere.

And that final battle? It becomes the last chapter of the story — defeat, a shameful death, and even in death, a kind of lingering disgrace.

I used to struggle with Psalm 119. Verse after verse about how great God’s laws are — not his promises of grace and blessing, but his laws, commands, and statutes.

And — good Lutheran pastor that I am — I think, “The law always condemns.” It accuses. It shows our sin. It reveals how far we fall short of what God demands. It creates a hunger for grace, to be sure. But its work is what we call an alien work. The law does not produce the faith and love God desires.

But then I started asking a different question: Whose laws do I love?

I can appreciate the laws of our country — the ones that protect us and give order to life. I’m grateful for good rules that let me drive safely and secure what I’ve been given.

But I also know there are other “laws” I’m drawn to — the ones that serve me. The eat-what-you-want, take-care-of-yourself, don’t-worry-about-others kind of laws. The ones where I decide what is good and what is not.

Those aren’t good laws. They’re certainly not worth loving. And they don’t lead to life.

God’s laws, however, are different. They are good. They do lead to life. And here’s the tension: while they guide us in the way of life, they do not save us. That has already been done.

So now, when I consider God’s law, I see it as a gift — good for me, and good for my neighbor. God doesn’t need my good works, but my neighbor does. God’s law shows me what love looks like in real life. It does not create faith, but where faith in Christ is alive, it begins to show itself — and the law helps give that life a visible form.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Chronicles 6-8, Psalm 119:1-24.

Psalm 119:9-16

How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, O LORD;
    teach me your statutes!
¹³ With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
¹⁴ In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

Names. Names. Names. More names. Names only a mother could love. Or a father – or our Father in heaven. These chapters of 1 Chronicles are not going to end up on many people’s “Most Favorite Bible Chapters” list. But there they are. Name after name, after name – with very little commentary throughout.

I’m guessing, however, that Levi, Aaron, and Issachar – among all the others – might be very interested in those names. They might have read the Chronicler’s account with keen interest. And if not they, then certainly their children and grandchildren would have. They might have remembered crazy Uncle Shimron (1 Chronicles 7:1) or Aunt Maacah (1 Chronicles 7:15). And who could forget great-great-great grandfather Aaron? Or great-great-great grandmother Miriam (1 Chronicles 6:3)?

Diane was recently filling in some family history. She wanted to know the birthdates of her grandparents on her dad’s side. In our hall hangs a large framed Bahn/Grimm family tree with names dating back to the 1600s in Germany. There’s even a Schwartzkopf in the bunch – am I related to the famous General Schwarzkopf? (Yes, I know: slightly different spelling.)

Those names matter – at least to us. They tell a story. They connect us to something bigger than ourselves. They remind us that we are part of a history that did not begin with us.

The same is true – even more so – with the names in Scripture. They are not filler. They are not accidental. They are part of the story God is telling – a story of promise, preservation, and fulfillment. Each name is a thread in the fabric that ultimately leads to Jesus. They anchor Jesus in the history of Israel and in the history of our world.

We’ll be reading Psalm 119 over the next days. This psalm celebrates the Word of the LORD in all its richness – every line, every promise, every command. Not just the familiar parts, but the whole of it. Even the sections we might be tempted to skim are included for a reason. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). That light does not shine only in the obvious places, but across the whole of God’s Word.

So even here – in the long lists of names – the LORD is at work. He is reminding us that his promises unfold in real lives, across generations, in ways both ordinary and remarkable. And he is inviting us not simply to look for what seems most interesting, but to trust that all of his word is given for our good.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Chronicles 3-5, Psalm 118.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

A brief mention in 1 Chronicles once captured the imagination of many. The prayer of Jabez became, for a time, something like a daily practice – a few words repeated with the hope that God would expand our influence and increase our blessing. It was simple, memorable, and appealing. But it also raised a question: Are we being invited into a posture of faith – or given a formula for results?

The prayer itself is faithful. Asking for God’s blessing, presence, and protection is a good thing. But Scripture presents Jabez’ prayer as a description, not a prescription. The danger is subtle: prayer can become a technique for securing outcomes, rather than a response of faith that rests in God’s gracious will. Jabez’s story is best received not as a method to replicate, but as a reminder that the Lord hears and answers according to his purposes – often in ways that go beyond what we ask or expect.

That tension shows up elsewhere in Scripture. In Genesis 48, Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh – not as a sentimental gesture, but as a decisive act that reshapes the future of Israel. With Reuben’s failure, the birthright is not lost but redirected (alluded to in our reading from 1 Chronicles 5). Joseph receives a double portion through his sons. And yet even here, expectations are overturned as the younger is set before the older. Once again, God’s purposes move forward – not by natural order, not by human expectation, but by his gracious choosing.

That is what makes the prayer of Jabez so easy to misunderstand. We can be tempted to believe that there might be a way – a set of words, a pattern of prayer – that ensures a certain outcome. But the story of Scripture points us in a different direction. As the 1 Samuel video pointed out in the incident of the stolen Ark of the Covenant, God is not a trophy.” God is not managed by our methods. He is to be trusted as our loving Father in heaven.

The good news is not that we have found the right prayer to unlock blessing, but that God has blessed us in the heavenly places with every spiritual blessing in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). God himself has drawn near in Jesus. In him, we are already blessed beyond measure – not according to a formula, but according to his amazingly abundant grace. And so we pray, not to secure a future of our own making, but to receive what he is pleased to give – trusting that his purposes, however surprising, are always good.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 2 Samuel 4, 1 Chronicles 1-2, Psalm 117.

2 Samuel 4:4

Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

When I am confronted with chapters like 1 Chronicles 1-2, I really have to buckle down to read through all those names. Most of them carry little meaning for me: Er, Zerah, Jerahmeel, Chelubai? These all stand in Judah’s line, but with very different legacies. Er is remembered for his wickedness, Zerah as the head of a family line, Jerahmeel as a largely forgotten clan ancestor, and Chelubai (Caleb) for faithfulness. Together, they reflect the mix of failure, obscurity, and trust through which God continues his work.

Then there’s Mephibosheth. Somehow I remember his name – Jonathan’s son whose feet were crippled and who is mentioned here in 2 Samuel 4. We will come across him several more times in 2 Samuel. He becomes a noteworthy example of the kindness of David – who remembers and provides for him for years. David is a type of Christ – one who gives us a hint or a picture of certain facets of Christ’s character. He was by no means perfect; in that he does not exhibit the character of Christ.

But David’s care for Mephibosheth is a picture of Christ’s care for the weak and broken, the humble and forgotten. Jesus showed that in his healing, comforting, loving, and encouraging of the least and last.

Even in lists of names we barely recognize, the Lord is quietly at work – carrying forward his purposes through generations that lived, died, and awaited what he would yet do. For God knew their names, and inspired the writers of the Sacred Scriptures to list them for our learning.

That learning is not merely to be an exercise in memorization. Christians are to reflect the character of Christ. We will not be content merely to remember people’s names – a good thing to do, no doubt – we will care for them as we are able, honor and respect, them as a reflection of God’s love for us all.

Next time you come across a list of names in the Bible, look carefully. You may find some people there who are actually important. But make no mistake, those whose names we read and quickly forget are not forgotten by God. Thanks be to God that he calls us by name into his kingdom of grace and life. He knows us, loves us, and has our names written in the book of life.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Chronicles (we’ll get to 2 Samuel later this May in our reading program).

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Samuel 26-28, Psalm 114.

1 Samuel 28:8-19

Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” ⁹ The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” ¹⁰ But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” ¹¹ Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” ¹² When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” ¹³ The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” ¹⁴ He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

¹⁵ Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” ¹⁶ And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? ¹⁷ The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. ¹⁸ Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. ¹⁹ Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

More than one question is brought to mind by today’s reading – especially around this encounter with the Witch of Endor. Why had Saul put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land, and yet, now consulting one of them? What would have been better for him to do in light of the fact that the LORD had been silent to him since Samuel had died? And what’s with Samuel’s appearing, scolding, and message? Was that a hallucination, an evil spirit speaking as though it was Samuel, or some contrivance by the Witch of Endor?

I have no questions about the advisability by Saul of seeking the input of the Witch of Endor: It was a bad idea. I have no questions about whether it was a good idea to have banished the necromancers and mediums: it was a good idea. I have no question about how far Saul had wandered from the LORD’s ways. I do wonder a bit about the implications of Samuel speaking from the dead. What does that say about life after death?

So let’s consider that just a bit. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Yet the souls of the martyrs under the altar in Revelation cry out, “How long, O Lord…?” Scripture also says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” And yet Lazarus had been in the tomb four days when Jesus called him to come out.

What are we to make of all this?

The Scriptures speak with a kind of clarity and restraint at the same time. When a believer dies, he is with the Lord. That much is sure. And yet that is not the end of the story. The body is laid in the grave, awaiting the resurrection of the dead on the Great Last Day. The life to come is not a disembodied existence, but the full restoration of the person – body and soul – raised by the power of God.

Which means that whatever we see in Saul’s encounter with Samuel, we are not being invited to explore or explain the mechanics of death and the dead. We are being shown how far Saul has drifted from trusting the LORD’s word, and how desperate he has become to hear any voice at all.

And in contrast to Saul, we are given something far better than a forbidden voice from the dead. We are given the living voice of Christ, who has entered death, overcome it, and who will raise us up on the Last Day. His word to us is, “Believe in God. Believe also in me. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And so – by the power of the Spirit – we believe in him and come to him, drawn by his Good News of forgiveness, grace, and salvation to eternal life.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Samuel.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

These devotions are part of the Follow the Word Bible reading program at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. This year we are reading through the Scriptures together, listening for how God speaks through his Word day by day. I hope you will join me on this journey.

Today’s readings are 1 Samuel 23-25, Psalm 113.

1 Samuel 24:1-15 (selected verses)

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel to seek David at the Wildgoats’ Rocks. He came to the sheepfolds, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were in the inner part of the cave.

David’s men said, “Here is the day of which the LORD said, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. But afterward David’s heart struck him, and he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him.” So David restrained his men and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up, left the cave, and went on his way.

Afterward David went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth. He said, “Why do you listen to those who say, ‘David seeks your harm’? This day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’

See, my father, the corner of your robe in my hand. By this you may know that there is no wrong or treason in me. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life. May the LORD judge between me and you, and avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.

In today’s reading, David quietly cuts a corner from Saul’s robe – and just as quickly, his heart is struck. It’s a small act, almost nothing, and yet not nothing. It made me think of another moment – a woman reaching out to touch the edge of Jesus’ garment, believing that even that would be enough. The two scenes could not be more different in intent. And yet both draw our attention to the One who is the Lord’s Anointed — and to what it means not to grasp, but to receive.

That detail that David cut off the corner of Saul’s garment matters. The “corner” of Saul’s robe was not just fabric, but a visible sign of his identity and authority as the Lord’s anointed. The Hebrew word here can mean edge or even wing. It’s the same word used in Ruth 3:9 when she says, to Boaz, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your kānāp (your garment/wing) over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” It is also used in Psalm 91:4, “[The LORD] will cover you with his pinions, under his wings (kānāp) you will find refuge.”

When David cut Saul’s garment he was laying hold of something that was not his to take. And David knows it. His heart strikes him, not because he has done great harm, but because he has come too close to grasping what only the Lord can give. And that, perhaps, is where the contrast with the woman becomes most striking — one act that reaches out and takes, and regrets it; another that reaches out in faith, and receives.

There is something to be said of David’s restraint. His resolve not to usurp Saul’s authority is noteworthy. He realizes that Saul is the LORD’s anointed. David is not. One day he will be. But he is not willing to put out his hand against his lord, for Saul is the LORD’s anointed. His power and authority was not for David to take.

Then I think of the woman touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. Power went out from him, and she was healed. Her desire was for restoration from a twelve-year ordeal of unimaginable pain, shame, and isolation. Jesus takes on her uncleanness, and she receives his restoring wholeness.

We may be tempted to take matters into our own hands when the moment seems to justify it, but it is much better to rely on God’s grace and mercy, seeking the shelter of his protective wings – not grasping what is not ours to take, but receiving what Christ freely gives.

Click on the graphic below to watch the Bible Project video summary of the book of 1 Samuel.