No Assumptions

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you."
So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. 2 Samuel 5:17-25

JOURNAL ENTRY
Observations: David was a man of spiritual discipline, not just military discipline. Here we see him praying for spiritual guidance. What strikes me as admirable is that, unlike me at times, David prayed about the same situation—the Philistines “spread out in the Valley of Rephaim (vs. 18, 23)—both times. The first time they did so, David prayed and God said, “Go…” (v.19). The second time they gathered in the same place for the same reason, David did what often I don’t. He “inquired of the LORD” (v.23) a second time. He didn’t assume that God wants things to go the same way every time as He directed them to go one time. And so David prayed, and sure enough, God redirected his steps by answering, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind…” (v.23). Both times David prayed. Both occasions ended in victory. But how God directed was different both times.

Application: There really is no substitute for an interactive relationship with God. And prayer—consistently spending time alone in conversation with God—is indispensible when it comes to life and leadership. I need to always be on my guard against assumption. I need to make sure that I don’t assume that how God directed the first time a situation arose will be the same way He directs the next time it arises. Each time is an invitation to pray for direction, even if the situations are the same. Who’s to tell but that the purpose of both is to help me learn what it means to always listen to God and obey.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thanks for reminding me that You are a God of variety as well as consistency. You don’t always repeat Yourself. And in Your variety You test me. You give me opportunities to trust in You and seek Your guidance, or to set out on my own path in a mode of assumption that fails to inquire of You again and thus miss out on Your wisdom, protection and provision.