Scripture:
1 Samuel 24:16-22 ESV
[16] As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” 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.
Observation:
As you may know by now. Like to pull scripture from one spot and give the observation from everything around it as well. So settle in for a minute. Saul was chasing David down to kill him. He did not want him to be king over Israel. His fear was due to what a new king would do when he came into a new kingdom. The offspring of the old king would be executed. We could take a look at what happened when Saul did not do what Samuel told him when this all got started. It was a pivotal moment in Saul’s kingdom, and honestly the start of his downfall. He was told to spare nothing and yet he kept the king of the territory alive. When Samuel found out he not only killed that king but said some very true words to Saul that tormented him his entire time as King. “Your kingdom will be ripped out of your hands”. Saul saw David as the only one who could do that. Seeing how the people loved him, drove Saul crazy. Coming up with a plan to kill him. David escaped with the help of his wife, and here we are in the cave. Saul hunted David yet David not seizing the opportunity to eliminate his enemy. Catching Saul with his guard down he had an opportunity to kill him and end this whole thing. David would be King. Be able to return to a comfy bed in the Castle. No more running more hiding…just living GOD’s plan right. Well…maybe not. When David snuck up behind Saul and cut the small piece of his robe off…his heart was struck…GOD was saying not this way. I have a plan and this is not it. GOD wanted everyone to see that David was a good man including Saul. At this point, there would be no way to deny that. Everyone including Saul and his men would not only see that David had a heart like GOD’s but they would hear it from Saul’s mouth.
Application:
We don’t have to…I suppose you are wondering what we don’t have to do. Well, we don’t have to get them back. We don’t have to take vengeance or repay. It honestly doesn’t matter what they did. It’s not our job to get them back. Let me tell you something you may not be aware of…GOD is good. HE has a plan. For you. For your enemy. For everything, and if we will truly submit to that plan. We will be able to leave the hard stuff to HIM. Loving your enemy is not easy I know. It seems like every time you think about them all those emotions come back. How they did you wrong. It’s easy to want revenge. In fact, I bet sometimes you fantasize about it…oh man if he was right here I would…or I’m so glad I never see them because I would…emotions are hard to get past. We never see the whole picture. GOD does. HE sees what’s on the other side of this. HE knows the plan we don’t. When we truly understand that HE is in control. We don’t have to get them back, and in fact, I would challenge you to say. When we understand that HE is in control we will be able to love them knowing that HE made them for a purpose also. Listen GOD knows what HE is doing. Controlling manipulating and twisting the outcome is not helping…at all. Submit to GOD resist the devil and he will flee from you. One more thing and I will quit. When Jesus was on the cross and when Steven was being beaten with stones they both asked GOD to forgive their offenders. They were being murdered. Jesus is our example. Steven was proof that it could be done. I’m just wondering what has happened to you that is so bad that you can’t ask GOD to forgive your offender. I mean you are still alive…right?
Prayer:
Father, love is the answer. It is not up to us to exact Revenge. That is your job to see the whole picture. We just want to ask that you help us keep our side of the street clean. Your word says love covers a multitude of sins. So we are asking for help. Help us to love our enemy. You made them. So you have a plan for them. You can see the end from the middle. All we can see is the right now. Help us to forgive. We do not know what is best for ourselves let alone the life of someone else. That’s why you refer to us as sheep. We get stuck in the mud and don’t even know how to get out. We just need to love. So that others can see who you are. You are the one who loved us so much that even when we were still running from you in our own sin you sent your son to die for us. Let us see the truth in that, and how that great love called us out of our own sin, a d let us love others in that same manner. Your word say they will know that we blog to you because we love. Teach us how to do so. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen