1 SAMUEL 29

Here’s what I liked about this chapter: Just because we screw it up doesn’t mean that God’s plans have failed. I believe David was in the wrong place doing the wrong things in the events that led up to this chapter. It would seem that he hadn’t consulted the Lord about fleeing to the land of the Philistines and that he was living there out of fear, not because he knew that was part of God’s plan for his life.

However, even in the midst of doing something that was outside the bounds of God’s plan for him, David was still shining for the Lord. The Lord was still making Himself known through David so that He was visible to the Philistines. "Achish called David and said to him, 'As surely as the Lord lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until today, I have found no fault in you.'" (vs 6)

Here, the king of the Philistines was praising the Lord who had been shown through David’s reliability. So even though running off to the land of the Philistines may have been a plan of David’s own making, God was still making Himself known through David’s mistakes.

I don’t know how God does that, but I think it is incredible, and it gives me great confidence and assurance. God is visible—no matter what we do. If we follow His plan and shine for Him, He will make Himself known. And if we choose to do things our own way without consulting Him, He will still make Himself known.

God is visible. Have you seen Him lately?