God on Repeat

A few days ago, we saw how God is content to keep calling your name until you know that it's He who is talking. Today's message is similar, but slightly different. It, too, comes to us from the book of 1 Samuel. 

David has come up against the Philistines, again. They seem to be a continual nuisance for him, almost as much as Saul was when he was persecuting the anointed shepherd-boy. But before David goes out against the Philistines, he prays, and he asks God whether the Lord will be with them. 

It's a good battle plan. You always want to know if God's going with you if you're going to wage war on someone and put your life, and the lives of your men, on the line. And God is faithful to answer - He tells David, yes. Go ahead and attack. I am with you, and I've got you. 

David heard the Lord, then looked back out on the Philistine army and a little bit of fear started to well back up in him. The Scriptures then tell us something interesting: 

So David asked the Lord again, just to make sure. 

One breath after the Lord has answered him and told him to go, David is sitting there, considering the enemy army, and he asks again - are You sure, Lord? 

Sounds like a lot of us, doesn't it?

We ask God for guidance, and He gives it to us, and we hear Him, and we know that's what God is asking us to do, but then, we ask again. Just to make sure. 

And then, we ask God if that was really Him confirming His Word when we asked Him to because, well, you can never be too safe when it comes to thinking you've heard from God. (And never too quick to just step out in faith, either, it seems.) 

The good news is that our God is faithful to answer us the second time just as He did the first. (And He will answer the third and the fourth and the fifth, too.) God doesn't resent having to tell us again. God doesn't resent our asking for confirmation. At least it means we're listening and hoping to hear from Him. 

God will give us His Word, and He will give it again, and He will give it again. He will give it when we're not sure we heard it right. He will give it when we look out and we're afraid all over again. He will give it again when we know we heard Him, but we're still reluctant. He will give it as many times as we ask because our Lord loves speaking to us, and He loves it when we're listening. He loves it when we ask, and He loves it when we're paying attention. 

So ask. Then, ask again if you need to. And if you need to ask a third time, go right ahead. The Lord is gracious to answer, every time.