The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.
Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
Comment: You may remember several weeks ago we saw presumably a bit younger David introduced into Saul’s house as a musician to play soothing music when Saul had one of his moody ‘fits’. So in this event with the developed attitude of jealousy and anger during an attack of his ‘moods’, which are described as coming from God, he twice tried to pin David to the wall with his hurled spear. Is it here that the story doubles back to yesterday’s devotion? Saul sends David out to fight as a commander of a thousand men. Is it to get him out of his presence and maybe even hoping that he might be killed in action? Does Jonathan and David’s friendship develop because Jonathan sees the unreasonableness of his father’s attitude?
Prayer: You give us mentors to train and encourage us in life. Help us to learn from the good and bad examples.
As I read it! 
Thank you Barry for your comments on this passage. As we know full well, God cannot do evil, or send evil, upon anyone. But God does allow evil to come upon all people. But it is each person’s response to that evil which comes, that is the important point. Do we allow evil to “overcome” us? Or do we overcome evil with good, as Jesus taught? God allowed evil to come into Job’s life, as a test, and of course, reading the book of Job, we see that the important point in the whole Book is Job’s response to the evil which came into his life. He was able, with God’s help, to overcome evil with good. God bless you.
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