I am getting impatient with David. There are all these big, awesome stories coming up just chock full of stuff I want to talk about. But right now, David is still just running for his life. He is no closer to being king than he was last week. Honestly, if I didn't know how the story ends, I might start to believe that this king thing is never going to happen. And this is one of the big reasons David was a man after God's own heart. He believed God. Period. He was not impatient. He doesn't stamp his feet and throw a tantrum. He doesn't demand that God move according to David's timetable.
3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
1 Samuel 24:3-7
Let me ask you a question. If God had anointed you King and the current King , who is hunting you down to kill you, just happened to stop in the very cave you were hiding in to 'relieve himself', wouldn't you take that as a big old sign from God that it was time for you do some king-killin?
It seems David's men agreed with me on this one. But David (who was anointed himself) was absolutely sure that God did not want him to kill Saul. And hear me on this, we are talking about wars and battles here. Not just straight up murder so calm down.
It's not uncommon for people to excuse any behavior by using God's call on their life as a justification. Yeah, it's goofy. But people do it all the time. For example, my ex-husband's wife thinks that God has always intended for them to be together for the purpose of the 'ministry' that they are 'called' to. Therefore, any and all sin they committed to get there is ok. And the big problem with that, other than the fact that it is really stupid, is that the idea supposes that God needs us. Spoiler Alert! He doesn't. God never has to manipulate man to subvert His own rules in order to carry out His will. He's God. Forgetting that leads to lots of trouble.
But David never forgot. It is hard to accept that God's plan may involve our personal suffering but David does. He often asks "Why?" (most notably in the Psalms) but he never questions God authority to write the story. That kind of total submission ain't easy folks.
And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. 12 May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
1Samuel 24:9-12
David is trying real hard here to get Saul to be reasonable. If you have ever dealt with someone who is mentally unstable, you know this is probably not gonna end well.
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?”
Is this dude for real? 'My son'? Seriously?
And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1Samuel 24:16-22
So Saul is real, real sorry about that whole "hunting you down and trying to kill you" stuff. But here's the best part. David is not buying this apology. A man after God's own heart is not dumb. He recognizes that Saul is unstable and returns to his stronghold.
It's important to understand here that being good to people does not entail having to be a part of their nonsense. Forgive? Sure. Pack up and move back to crazy town with them? Nope.
1 comment:
Love it!
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