Walking the Razor's Edge of Faith | 1 Samuel 21:1-2

Do you feel you are being tested and find it hard to walk the razor's edge of righteousness?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

Today, we released a new episode of The Vince Miller Show, "Beliefs That Hold You Back." Check it out at the link or button below the video.

This week, we are in Chapter 21 of the Daily Devo. I've titled this chapter "Man On The Run."

Here is the text for today in 1 Samuel 21:1-2:

Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one with you?" And David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, 'Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.' I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. — 1 Samuel 21:1-2

So, by nature, we should ask again, "What is with all the lying?" In the last chapter, David devises a plan to lie to Saul, and Jonathan tells the lie to test Saul. Here we have another instance.

Before I answer your question, let me provide a little background for this moment.

David runs to Nob (his next hideout from Saul) about two miles south of Ramah. Ramah is the home of Samuel, but Nob is the location of the Tabernacle, which was the Lord's temporary dwelling until Solomon built the Temple. Naioth, which is in Ramah, is an educational facility for training prophets and priests. Think of Naioth as a seminary where Samuel trained priests in his later years. One of the priests Samuel brought up and appointed was Ahimelech, who is just a mere 2 miles away in Nob.

So David shows up in Nob, and Ahimelech is a little surprised. You will notice he is "trembling," probably because he has heard about the recent events with the mercenaries sent to kill David at Naioth, and the spirit of the Lord came upon them. True to form, Ahimelech is concerned and curious.

And then David gives him an answer, which appears to be a lie.

But I don't think David is lying. I think David means "The King" or "The Lord" when he uses the title "king" because he is standing before a priest who knows The King and King Saul's present issues. So, if you allow me a little latitude today (and this is pure speculation), if we insert this inference into the text, we might read the situation differently. So, let's reread David's statement, assuming he means "The King."

"The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, 'Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.'

So, my guess, and it's only a guess, is that David is not lying. He stands alone before the priest, speaking of "The King," and I think Ahimelech is playing along. Based on the outcome of tomorrow's devotional and how Jesus refers to this instance in the New Testament, I think I am right.

So, I think we encounter two men talking in code, trying to walk a careful socio-political and religious line while trying to keep themselves free from sin.

But this is what it will be like for David for years. He is going to be challenged to walk on the razor's edge of so many matters, which we will see unfold in a variety of ways. This is one of many reasons why I think God chose David to be the second king of Israel. He was a man after God's heart, willing to be tested for years and walk the razor's edge between righteousness and unrighteousness every time.

Are you being tested? Are you walking the razor's edge? If so, walk it carefully and cautiously because God might just be preparing you like he was preparing David.

#TestedFaith, #WalkingInRighteousness, #FaithUnderFire

Ask This:
When have you felt like you were walking on the razor's edge in your faith, balancing between right and wrong? How did you navigate that moment?
What steps can you take today to stay faithful to God when the pressure to compromise feels overwhelming?
Do This:
Submit to the test and let God prepare you.

Pray This:
Lord, when I feel tested and pressured to compromise, help me to walk faithfully in Your truth. Strengthen my heart to trust Your plan, even when the path feels difficult and unclear. Amen.

Play This:
Waiting.