I'd like you to take a moment to reflect on the individuals who have profoundly shaped your spiritual journey. Perhaps it was a parent, a grandparent, a Bible class teacher, an elder, a preacher, or a dear friend whose faith shone brightly and guided your steps. Their wisdom, encouragement, and very presence often served as a steadying force in our lives. But what happens when that powerful spiritual influence is removed? Do we maintain the same course, holding fast to the truths they instilled, or do we risk straying into the wilderness of our own desires? When those who helped us navigate toward our heavenly home are gone, what will keep us from losing sight of the destination? A scene in the life of David, particularly after the death of the prophet Samuel, offers a compelling look at this very crossroads.

1. David Before Samuel’s Death | 1 Sam 24

a. Saul mercilessly sought to kill David. | vv. 1-3; cf. 1 Sam 18:10-11, 29; 19:11; 20:30-33 

b. But David graciously spared Saul’s life. | vv. 4-7

c. He pleaded with Saul to end his pursuit. | vv. 8-22

d. Psalms 57 and 142 reflect David’s God-trusting mood during this time. 

2. Samuel’s Death | 1 Sam 25:1a

a. For Israel, he was a prophet, judge, and the anointer of kings. | 1 Sam 3:20; 7:15-17; 10:1-27

b. But for David, he was a mentor and spiritual influencer. | 1 Sam 16:12-13; 19:18-24

c. His death represented a significant loss for the nation and David alike. | v. 1a 

3. David After Samuel’s Death | 1 Sam 25:1b-42

a. David exiled himself in the wilderness of Paran. | v. 1b; cf. Num 12:16-14:45

b. Nabal, a man David helped during this time, disrespected him and his men. | vv. 2-11

c. So, David impulsively sought to kill Nabal and all his men. | vv. 12-13; contrast: Psa 57:2-3

d. But Abigail wisely restrained David from seeking his own vengeance. | vv. 14-42

e. With his moral compass reoriented, David will spare Nabal and Saul’s lives. | 1 Sam 26:1-25

4. When the strong spiritual voices that have guided us fall silent, we may find ourselves more easily swayed by our weaknesses and risk losing our way on the path they have helped us see.

5. Preparing for Spiritual Transition:

a. Stay alert to the temptations that arise following the loss of a spiritual mentor. | Act 20:28-32

b. Follow their faithful example to share in their reward. | 2 Tim 3:10-4:8

c. Teach spiritual self-sufficiency over spiritual dependency. | 2 Pet 1:3-15

We often find ourselves reflecting on what those we’ve lost would have wanted for us. We might think, “Oh, they would have loved this,” or “They would have wanted that.” While such sentiments are nice, if we could hear their voices from the other side of eternity, I believe their deepest desire would echo the profound wisdom of Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: “Let us hear the end of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” From David, we saw how easily one can stray when a strong spiritual influence is removed. Those who have gone before us wouldn’t want us to falter in our faith or lose our way. So, let’s honor the memory by living a life that truly matters for eternity until we join them in God’s everlasting presence.

There is a story…so the story goes, that once Ernest Hemingway was challenged with a $10 bet to tell a story in only six words. Hemingway took a sip on whatever he was drinking, looked briefly off into space and said, “FOR SALE, BABY SHOES, NEVER USED.”

The famous science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke in a 1991 letter to a friend related this six-word story and said, “I still can’t think of it without crying…FOR SALE, BABY SHOES, NEVER USED.”

Here is another, much older six-word story, “FOR GOD…SO LOVED…THE WORLD. You almost certainly can finish the verse…”That he gave His only…begotten Son.” This story isn’t sad from our point of view. In fact, all over the world for the past 2,000 years it has been proclaimed to humanity as “Good News”…the gospel. 

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1

The sad part of this story is how few people listen, respond or love Him in return.

This is an ADOPTION STORY. Every adoption story has an element of sadness and love.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.+ Ephesians 1:3-6

Another one of the apostles, Peter, tells us, “ 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises,” 1 Peter 1:3-4

The sadness in this six-word story is how so many reject the Fathers love and many of those who take His name, deny Him in their walk, in their lack of trust in the Father’s promises and provisions and in their disobedience to the Father’s commands.

Some call it “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” I still can’t think of it deeply without crying.

“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”

This was a painful question posed to the Son of Jonah. Not simply because of their three-year, deep, dynamic and devoted relationship but because of the time and place, where and when it occurred.

When Jesus first met Peter, three years earlier, it was at or close to this exact place on the shore of Galilee. Simon was fishing. Three of the four gospels tell us that Jesus met and called Simon Peter when he was fishing. [Matthew 4, Luke 5 and John 1]. And…Luke captures for posterities sake, that at the first calling, Jesus advised Simon and the others to cast their nets one more time. Just trust me, and Peter obeyed.

“⁴ When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” Luke 5:4-5

Matthew states matters more succinctly, “for they [Andrew and Peter] were fishermen.” It was who they were, what they did and apparently what they loved. Jesus took this love and vocation and said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Combining for the kingdom, Peter’s passion, love and way of life.

John in the last chapter of his gospel, tells us that Jesus meets Peter again. Once more at the same place and under the same circumstances: By the sea and fishing.

There had been two other encounters where Jesus had shown himself to the twelve [the disciples], this was the third. John tells us that between the last and this appearance, Peter told the others, “I am going fishing.” [John 21:2] Peter was going back to what he loved and what he did.

Jesus, meets Peter at the place and under the circumstances of their first encounter, when Peter and the others, “brought their boats to land, they ^[a]forsook all and followed Him.” Luke 5:11.

This third encounter with Peter was deeply symbolic, emotional, and powerful. It had to draw up painful, troubling memories of love, devotion, triumph, passion, glory and of course the most recent, a test of character and loyalty about which Peter bragged but utterly failed. All of these complex emotional experiences were in the confusing context of a resurrected Jesus and what all that meant.

Included in the deeply symbolic mixture was the number three. This was Jesus’ third appearance with the disciples. He asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” This on the heels of the three times Peter had denied him. After Jesus spent three days in the tomb. Peter among the three closest of Jesus’ disciples. The three, Peter, James and John saw at the transfiguration, Moses, Elijah and Jesus. And the three years of Jesus “active” mission proclaiming “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

There is a deep tenderness and lesson for us recorded in this seaside meeting between the Master and his disciple. Jesus knew all of the relationship dynamics between him and this close friend, both past, present and future. Jesus takes all these complex experiences and starts with Peter from the beginning. At the shore, watching Peter do what he loved, who he was [a fisherman] and how he worked, wrestled and struggled with hard days fishing. There would be hard days ahead fishing for men.

Jesus even goes back to the first name he used when calling Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah” three years ago. Jesus knew Peter loved fishing and that way of life in spite of its hardness and days of failure. Jesus remembered how Peter left all to become a “fisher of men”, so he asks, “Do you [still] love me more than these?” The sea, the boats, fishing for fish, fishing for a living, this vocation and calling?

It was a hard question to hear, and Peter heard it three times. The first two times Jesus’ uses ‘agape’ for love [the unconditional, sacrificial love] to which Peter responded, “You know that I “phileo’ you” [like a good friend or brother] After all Peter had just failed his previous and braggadocios claims of unfailing agape love. On the third asking, “Do you love me?” Jesus meets Peter where he’s at in their relationship, “Do you love me [phileo] as a brother and friend?” To this Peter says, “LORD you know I love you [as a friend and brother.] Jesus accepts this love, and he still calls Peter to be that friend and “feed my sheep.”

I find a few lessons and personal applications:

1. Love whether agape [unconditional, unfailing] or phileo [brotherly, friendship] is at the CORE of our relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Spirit
2. Love has definitions and expectations. At a minimum they are TRUSTING and OBEYING
3. Love is more than a feeling, it is MANIFESTED
4. Whatever else [good or bad] that we love in this world, we must love God MORE.