1 Samuel 23:6-11: a reflection

6When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7Saul was told that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he is shut in by entering into a town that has gates and bars.” 8Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him. He said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. 11Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” The LORD said, “He will come down.”

When David hears that Saul is coming to attack him at Keilah, he does not simply act on rumor or his own reasoning; he brings his specific, practical questions to God. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? he asks. Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? He lays before God the very questions weighing on him, the practical uncertainties of his situation, and asks God to tell him. And God answers, giving David the guidance he sought. This shows that we can bring our specific, practical questions and uncertainties to God, not only our large concerns but the particular dilemmas of our situation, and seek his guidance. David did not think his practical questions too small or too specific to bring to God; he brought them, and God answered. We can bring our specific questions and uncertainties to God, who answers. God is not too great to be asked our practical questions; David brought his, and God answered. To bring our particular dilemmas to God, seeking his guidance, is fitting. God answers those who bring their specific questions to him.

Notice what David did with his uncertainty: he brought his specific questions to God. He faced a real, practical dilemma, whether Saul would come, whether the men of Keilah would betray him, and rather than acting on rumor or his own guesswork alone, he laid these particular questions before God and asked for an answer. And God answered him. This is instructive, for we can think that God is concerned only with our large, spiritual matters, and that our specific, practical questions, the particular dilemmas and uncertainties of our situation, are too small or mundane to bring to him. But David brought exactly these to God, and God answered. We can bring our practical questions, our specific uncertainties, the particular decisions we face, to God, seeking his guidance, trusting that he cares about the details of our lives and can guide us in them. No question weighing on us is too specific or practical to bring to God. To lay our particular uncertainties before God, as David did, is fitting and wise. God cares about our specific dilemmas; we can bring them to him. The details of our situation are not beneath God's guidance.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can bring our specific, practical questions and uncertainties to God, who cares about the details of our lives. We can think that God is concerned only with our large concerns, and that our specific, practical questions are too small to bring to him, so we act on our own reasoning alone; but David brought his particular questions about his situation to God, and God answered. God cares about the details of our lives; we can seek his guidance in our specific dilemmas. Do not think your practical questions too small to bring to God; lay your specific uncertainties before him, as David did, seeking his guidance. Bring your specific, practical questions and uncertainties to God, seeking his guidance in the particular dilemmas of your situation, as David asked God whether Saul would come to Keilah and whether the men there would betray him, and God answered; for God is not too great to be asked our practical questions, nor are the details of our situation beneath his guidance, but he cares about the particulars of our lives, so that we can bring not only our large concerns but our specific uncertainties to him, trusting that he answers those who seek his guidance in the real dilemmas they face.

Lord, when David hears that Saul is coming to attack him at Keilah, he does not simply act on rumor or his own reasoning; he brings his specific, practical questions to you. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? he asks. Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? He lays before you the very questions weighing on him, the practical uncertainties of his situation, and asks you to tell him. And you answer, giving David the guidance he sought. This shows that I can bring my specific, practical questions and uncertainties to you, not only my large concerns but the particular dilemmas of my situation. Show me what David did with his uncertainty: he brought his specific questions to you. He faced a real, practical dilemma, and rather than acting on rumor or his own guesswork alone, he laid these particular questions before you and asked for an answer. And you answered him. I can think that you are concerned only with my large, spiritual matters, and that my specific, practical questions are too small or mundane to bring to you. But David brought exactly these to you, and you answered. I can bring my practical questions, my specific uncertainties, the particular decisions I face, to you, trusting that you care about the details of my life. Take that to my heart, for I can bring my specific, practical questions and uncertainties to you, who care about the details of my life. I can think that you are concerned only with my large concerns, and act on my own reasoning alone; but David brought his particular questions to you, and you answered. Keep me from thinking my practical questions too small to bring to you; help me lay my specific uncertainties before you, Lord, as David did, seeking your guidance, trusting that you care about the particulars of my life and answer those who seek your guidance.