Can God Bless a Liar?

“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.” (Psa 52:8)

Desperation in our lives often causes us to lower our biblical standards. When this happens, the response from other people is to judge the one who has shifted their biblical views out of fear or desperation. We are all humans and will, in fear or need, “bend the rules.”

Have you, as a follower of Jesus, told a lie to ease your current situation? Have you presented yourself as something you're not in order to gain a more favorable situation? We need to be true to God’s word but when we observe others in a crisis we also need to be moved by compassion in our judgment of them.

David reflected on how God had preserved his life when Saul who was disposed by and replaced by him and  gave God credit, not for his deception but, for his deliverance from one of the most fearful times in his life when he said:

“I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.”

This account is found in I Samuel Chapter 21. In this account, David, the anointed and soon to be king of Israel, was forced to flee from Saul who sought out David with intentions to kill him, in order to preserve his throng. In David’s flight, one of the places he took refuge in was Nob- the place where the tabernacle rested.

When he was greeted by Ahimelech the priest, Ahimelech was fearful seeing that David was not traveling with his armed forces. When questioned about his condition, David responded with:

“And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.” (1 Sa 21:2)

It was in this account that Jesus made this observation, “Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?” (Mat 12:3-4)

This event was not a “highlight” in the life of David. Scared, tired and hungry, he deceived the High Priest. In his fear, David was not only deceptive with Ahimelech about his relationship with Saul but also took the “showbread” that was reserved for the table of God and only to be consumed by the ones who were ceremoniously clean.

Hungry David imposed on the man of God to compromise not only his position as high priest but to violate the table of God. When pressed to give David bread, Ahimelech said, “And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.” (1 Sa 21:4)  

When we fail, our failures are covered by “the mercy of God for ever and ever.” This is not permission to sin but grace that covers our sin through the blood of Jesus. If you are in a situation that has motivated you to shift your bible view, you are in God’s grace but in the shadow of sin.

When you look back at your life after you have returned to the walk God has for you, it is necessary for you to not give your failed faith credit for your deliverance but, as David observed about his own life, know that it was “the mercy of God”.

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