Day 115, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): 1Samuel 31; 1Chronicles 10; 2Samuel 4:4; 2Samuel 1
Tending Our Spiritual Gardens
What are our favorite things to plant—flowers, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peppers, or something else? After we carefully plant them, should we just leave them alone until harvest? What happens if we do not clear all the weeds? The plants do not produce well, and sometimes the life is choked out of them.
Jesus said in a parable, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear [God’s message], but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14, NIV).
What is true with physical gardens is true of the gardens of our hearts. God plants spiritual seeds in our gardens, but if we do not tend them, the seeds will bear little or no fruit.
Is the spiritual garden of our heart regularly cared for, or is it choked, so it does not mature?
Saul’s Seed
King Saul did not tend the garden of his spiritual life. He started well—he was humble and even reticent to take the leadership of the nation. When he was appointed king, the Spirit of God led Saul and gave Israel early victories over her enemies. Afterward, he gave glory to God for the wins and resisted petty revenge. That was the seed.
Unfortunately, pride, power, and position choked out the spiritual fruit of his life. Then, he could not grow in spiritual maturity or lead Israel as God desired. Because of his pride and disobedience, the LORD instructed Samuel to anoint David to replace him. David was a young man after God’s own heart.
One of King Saul’s sins was not completely wiping out the Amalekites. He wanted the praise of his men and wealth more than obeying the LORD. Ironically, it may have been an Amalekite who finished him off when he was dying (2Samuel 1:6-10).David’s Seed
Contrasted with Saul’s disobedience is David’s obedience.
The seed of David’s spiritual life also started with humble beginnings—he was a shepherd boy. Now, as a man, David seeks the help of the LORD his God. God is his refuge and strength. He grows in spiritual maturity because he keeps the weeds of pride, power, and position out of his life, and he nurtures his relationship with the LORD, the giver of life and blessings.
God protects David in the wilderness from the murderous attempts of jealous King Saul. Although pursued by him, David respects the LORD’s choice of Saul as his anointed and does not kill him, even though he had two opportunities to do it. He does not take revenge himself—he lets God handle it.
David is also God’s anointed. The Almighty blesses his military exploits and surrounds him with brave fighting men. He even protects this young warrior from an unwise alliance with the Philistines, which would have caused him to fight against his people.
We learned in yesterday’s Bible reading, that when David returns to Ziklag with his men, they discover the Amalekites have taken advantage of their absence; they raided and burned the town while the Philistines and Israelites were engaged in battle. They carried away everything valuable and even their families.
Saul failed to remove the Amalekites, but David and his men now take revenge on them to rescue their families. God blesses his band of men, and they recover everyone and everything. Then they loot those who looted them. They defeat the Amalekites with a great slaughter.
After his victory, David shows his spiritual maturity when he receives word of the death of Saul and his sons on the battlefield. He does not rejoice at the demise of his enemy. David mourns the loss of the LORD’s anointed one. He composes a song in tribute to King Saul and Jonathan (2Samuel 1:19-27), and orders the men of Judah to learn this lament.How do we react when God’s spiritual leaders fall? Do we rejoice and seize opportunities for ourselves, or do we mourn?
David was a humble man. He never forgot his roots. He never staged a coup to dethrone Saul or his sons. David realized that God was fully capable of bringing his kingdom when it was time; the LORD did not need David’s help.
What weeds do we need to clear from our spiritual gardens? Are we eager to do what is right and tend our gardens, or do we let the weeds of pride, position, or pleasure choke out any spiritual growth? If we are good gardeners, the LORD will make us fruitful in what we do.
We will reap good from the good we sow.
Focus Verses
Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Discussion
How was Saul’s seed different than David’s seed?
What weeds might come into the spiritual garden of our hearts?
How do we keep our garden well-tended?
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Looking Ahead: With the death of King Saul comes a power struggle for his kingdom. Find out how to Defuse Power Struggles in our Next Lesson.
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