Friday, February 26, 2010

Daily Reading: 1st Samuel 22-24

Reading Through the Bible in a Year!
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  1. johnaraulersonFebruary 26, 2010 at 5:54 AM

    Trusting in God’s Hand and Not Our Own

    (1 Samuel 24:4-6) Then the men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.'" And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. 6 And he said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord." NKJV

    David had the opportunity to take matters into his own hands. King Saul, out of his own jealousy and unstableness, had relentlessly sought to murder David. David’s life was in danger as well as his family and any others the unstable king might speculate were assisting David. This had been proved by the execution of the priests at Nob. Now, the opportunity had arisen for David to protect himself from this adversary and get revenge. The table was set and his men were encouraging him. Everything was right. Even the Lord seemed to be in it. But God was not in it and David knew it. David could have easily justified the killing of King Saul as self-defense and protection for his family. Not only would those around approve his action, but encouraged it. He could even convince himself that God had prepared the moment. Yet, deep in David’s heart he knew he was not to take matters into his own hand and harm the Lord’s anointed. His decision could eventually cost him his own life and the lives of friends and family, but he chose to place himself under the Lord’s protection rather than his own. If his adversary was to be destroyed, it would not be by his hands. David had more respect for the Lord’s anointed than he did his own life. He would place his future in the Lord’s hands and not in his own. Through this trial David exhibited great self-control. Not only were his men encouraging him but surely his natural man was screaming to seize the moment and destroy his adversary. God honored David and due season dealt with King Saul and then made David king. God used this situation to test David’s faithfulness. We all must be careful not to take matters into own hands and thereby wait upon the Lord. God knows our struggles and we must believe that He can handle our situation much better than ourselves. Not only will He bless our faithfulness, but we will live a life without regrets.

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