THURSDAY August 15, 2019
My Hiding Place
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”
1 Samuel 23:19-20
Jonathan encouraged David and left him hiding in the woods. He was a genuine friend and knew when David needed a word of encouragement. As David remained in the strongholds in the woods, the Ziphites took notice of where he was hiding from King Saul.
The Ziphites were like Judas who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The Ziphites were treacherous people who would betray anyone for money. They went to see King Saul and promised to hand over David to him. Despite their attempts to betray David, God remained David’s hiding place––nothing and no one could touch him.
There are people who watch your every step, and when an opportunity comes, they will betray you. It could be someone who has become jealous of you, so they seek to destroy you! They will use the information they have gathered to come against you. They will not stick by your side in loyalty, but, like the Ziphites, they will turn against you.
I hope you have people in your life who are like Jonathan. They are loyal friends who encourage you. When you are down, they pray for you. When I notice people who are feeling down, I just give them a touch on the back. Later on, they have come up to me and said, “When you touched me on my back, it really uplifted me.” They were encouraged. A gentle touch or a kind word to someone can make such a difference.
You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance….
~Psalm 32:7~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!