A Refreshing Friend

O. T. #610  "A Refreshing Friend"
October 8,2015
1 Samuel 16-Part 5
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.  1 Samuel 16:23

LET IT GLOW

Do you have a friendship that is refreshing to you? On the other hand, are you the kind of friend that one can say refreshes them? David was that kind of friend.

David was summoned by the king. Saul had heard that David could play the harp. The king's servant suggested music would soothe his soul. David was a music minister before he became king. Obviously,  the music did soothe the king.
Falwell suggests that David played for Saul for a short time, then when Saul recovered, he returned to Bethlehem. The evil spirit on Saul was evidently a mental affliction next to insanity. Probably David's becoming the king's armor bearer did not happen at this time.

Anyway, the king was pleased with David. They probably talked and shared with each other during the times David was there playing music for Saul. Verse 21 says that King Saul loved David greatly. Now that was a relationship developed.

In Hebrew, this word loved is ahab (aw-hab') means to have affection for, like a friend.

Do we have friends that we love? Do we show that we care about them? Do we tell our friends that we love them, or do we take it for granted that they know? How encouraging are we to our friends? Are we there when they need a listening ear?

Saul loved David for his abilities, but later grew to hate him because he knew he (David) was blessed by the Lord (18:29). (MacArthur)

LET IT GROW

When the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took his harp and played with his hand. It refreshed Saul and all was well once again. The evil spirit departed from Saul. (verse 23)

Refreshed means to breath freely, revive. (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)

In verse 22, Saul sent word  to Jesse, David's father, requesting David to come to the palace. David found favor in the king's sight. What better thing can be said of a person?

When Saul asked David to be in his service, he obviously did not know that David had been secretly anointed king (verse 2). Saul's invitation presented an excellent opportunity for the young man and future king to gain firsthand information about leading a nation. (David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father's flock in Bethlehem (17:15). Sometimes our plans-even the ones we think God had approved-have to be put on hold indefinitely. Like David, we can use this waiting time profitably. We can choose to learn and grow in our present circumstances, whatever they may be.  (Life Application Study Bible)

Do we want to find favor in King Jesus' sight? Isn't it all that we need, to be assured that our King loves us greatly?

In Jeremiah 31:3 the Lord says, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love...

LET IT GO

Show my friends that I love them, as well as telling them.

Tell the Lord Jesus that I love Him.

Show my love for Jesus by loving others.