When Waiting for God Means Staying Where You Are

1 Samuel 24

The Philistines may have slowed Saul down from pursuing David for a little while but He’s back at it here in chapter 24. David and his men have been pushed to their physical limits while they have fled from Saul and yet still he has trusted that God would protect him and one day put him on the throne. Now David’s endurance will be tested in another way.

            This time Saul isn’t just close to capturing David, but he is unwittingly in the very cave that David and his men are hiding in. However, while David and his men are in the cave in order to hide, Saul has simply sought some privacy in order to relieve himself. You heard right, you couldn’t have made this up if you tried. As you might imagine this leave Saul a bit, umm….vulnerable. Is this David’s chance to kill his nemesis? Is this God directing him to take matters into his own hands? Could this be his chance to stop running for his life and take hold of what God has promised him? If we are honest with ourselves, many of us wouldn’t even hesitate in taking an opportunity like this to benefit ourselves. While David surly is not a perfect man, we see him care far more about God’s timing than his own. Saul is still the king that God put on the throne and David refuses to undercut that authority in this way.

            Although David lets Saul do his “business” unhindered, he does have the hutzpah to cut a piece off of Saul’s robe so that he can prove that he had ample opportunity to kill Saul if he wished. In fact, when Saul is a safe distance from the entrance of the cave, David calls out and shows the peace of robe that he had taken. David makes it clear by what he says here that although he has shown Saul mercy, he expects God to exact justice on Saul for his wrong doing.

            It’s interesting that Saul sounds very contrite for what he has put David through and even acknowledges that God has called David to be king. He even asks David to spare his family when he sets up his kingdom. David agrees and they go their separate ways. This was very counter-cultural to let the family of your opponent live and shows great mercy on David’s part, even further displaying his faith in God to protect not just his present but his future.

            Notice that although Saul is sounding repentant, David in no way lets his guard down. In fact he heads strait to a fortified place where he and his men can defend themselves. Saul may warrant some respect because of the position that God has placed him in, but he has lost his right to be trusted. David’s trust in God is not dependent on his trust in Saul.

Lessons:

We should constantly be evaluating our lives in a way that seeks God’s glory in the decisions we make, even as we attempt to do his will. Doing God’s work doesn’t automatically mean that we are doing work for God. We need to humbly and faithful do what God wants from us, even if it might mean waiting where we are at or being faithful in an uncomfortable position. He wants us to be faithful and to trust in Him, not to be comfortable for our own sake. 

Please help me to live a life that is above the reproach of the watching world.

Titus, One

Oh Lord, your gospel is precious and mysterious. Thank you that your promises are true, that we can bank our lives on them and proclaim them to the world around us.

            Please help me to live a life that is above the reproach of the watching world. Help me to lead my family well. May I practice self-control in my private and public life. Give me a genuine heart for your people and for sound doctrine. May I be able to lead and teach well your commands.

            Help me oh Lord to sift through the traditions that creep into moralism. Help me to preach truth in love, expecting and living obedience but not placing my confidence in it. Help me to constantly point to your mercy and grace as the motivations for our obedience. Keep me from the legalism that so easily encroaches toward pride and self-satisfaction. May I lovingly call it what it is, and correctively teach your word rightly. May I guard myself and others against this wayward tendency. Amen.

It's Never Right to do the Wrong Thing

Samuel Chapter 21

David is now on the run and truly alone. He can’t go to Samuel the prophet, he can’t go to Jonathan his friend and ally, he feels the weight of fending for himself, by himself. He has felt the bloodlust from his enemies in battle before but now he also feels it from his own countrymen. A price is on his head, the king’s men are everywhere, the walls are closing in.

In his desperate flight, provisions are basically nonexistent as he comes to the city where the tabernacle and priests are. David is resourceful, cunning and desperate and in this moment his faith in his God falters, he lies to try and save his own neck. He tells the priest that he is on king’s business (information traveled a bit slower than CNN or a twitter feed back then) and that he needs some food. The only bread available is the holy bread which only priest were allowed to eat. The priest Ahimelech decides to follow the spirit of the Law instead of the letter of it and feeds the man in his desperate need (latter endorsed by Jesus).  Oh ya, and he gives David Goliath’s sword which they just so happened to have on hand. (What?)

So where would you go if the king was seeking your life from every side? Right, over to Gath, the enemy city that was the home of the giant Goliath who you famously killed a while back…and you are carrying his huge, unmistakable sword with you just to rub a little more salt in that wound. How desperate do you have to be to run to your hated enemy? Anyway, people recognize David and tell the king of Gath. So now what? Again, in his desperation, instead of trusting God, David deceives. He pretends like he is a mad man and gives an Oscar winning performance as he slobbers all over his beard and scribbles on the city gates. It works, and he escapes. 

Question:

            What would have happened if David would have sought the Lord’s help instead of lying in these situations?  God was gracious to David even though he didn’t handle these situations exactly as he should have. He still spared his life and will still use him to do great things. David’s actions were wrong and they will get him into trouble, but God still has a plan for David, He will protect him and keep His promises. 

Lessons:

It’s never right to do the wrong thing, no matter how desperate we are. None of us are perfect, we all sin but that’s not a good excuse. Still, our God is gracious and merciful and still chooses to use us despite our mistakes and poor choices at times. This won’t be the last time that David sins, and his some of his sins will have drastic consequences. Sometimes our sins have drastic, even lifelong consequences as well, but God will always take back the truly repentant. God will always use the willing and repentant. So, when you sin, or make a mistake, don’t let it prevent you from getting back up and continuing to pursue God and his word. Let God’s glory shine even in your desperate need. It’s never right to do the wrong thing. Remember Jesus doesn’t get lost.