This past Sunday's Scripture was 1 Samuel 24
Today our path takes us back to the stories of King David. Once just a shepherd boy who slew the giant from Philistine, David now cast a large shadow. King David’s stories were legendary. Songs were written about his exploits. His stories of success and failure all pointed back to the same principle, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. This was David’s life verse.
After the quick battle with Goliath in the valley of Elah, David was immediately catapulted into the limelight. He became famous and influential in one day and then he married the king’s daughter. Now he was also wealthy. He was a folk hero in every way. People wrote songs about him. 1 Samuel 29:5 “Saul slew his thousands, and David slew his tens of thousands” in other words King Saul is alright, but David is awesome! We wanted to be like Saul, now we want to be like David.
King Saul was just an average king, but he had a giant ego and this turn of events didn’t sit well. Making matters worse for David was the rumor Samuel had visited the home of David while he was just a child and anointed him as the next king of Israel. King Saul had plans for his own son, Jonathan, to become king.
As thankful as Saul was for the military support, he was not about to be upstaged by a shepherd boy. King Saul determined he should just get rid of David. One day while playing his harp for King Saul, the king picked up his javelin and threw it with all his might at David, fortunately for David he missed. This happened on two separate occasions. David finally realized when people are throwing things at you, it’s time to find a new audience.
David decided his days as a musician were over and it was time to start a new career path. He escaped to the wilderness and brought together a group of dissatisfied men to become his warriors. The game of cat and mouse began, and it lasted several years.David and his men would flee and hide in the hills. the King’s spies would eventually find them, the King would pursue, and David would flee again. Somehow they always managed to stay one step ahead of the King’s men. One day, the game took a different turn:
1 Samuel 24:
1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
From the Desert of En Gedi to the Valley of Decision:
1. Decision-making environments are not always emotionally neutral.David had a decision to make. Would he take the life of Saul? It seemed like Saul had been delivered to David in a neatly wrapped package. This was a no brainer. Emotions were on high alert, but here is where we often fail…it seems so natural and so right…opportunity is at the door…
2. Emotions will ambush your decision making skills.
David had a decision to make. Would he bring an end to the game of cat and mouse and an end to the years of suffering the people of Israel had experienced when King Saul refused to follow the direction of God…?
4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said [b] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord. It is a gift of the LORD.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
David’s decision was based on three things:
1. The Law of God – directly focused on God away from the person or object
2. The Principles of God – universal truths “the ways things work”
3. The Wisdom of God – it is a gift of understanding from God’s perspective (you understand what God is up to…)
By not taking Saul’s life, David obeyed the law of God and applied an important principle of God. And in the end, David’s decision proved to show the wisdom of God. What a turn of events:
8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
Fortunately, David was able to see that in spite of the emotion of the moment, in spite of his warrior’s advice, in spite of his own fear, killing Saul would be the wrong thing to do.
We never accomplish the will of God…
(1) … by breaking the law of God,
(2) … by violating the principles of God or
(3)… by ignoring the wisdom of God.
The laws, principles and wisdom of God will provide clarity to do the right thing, the right way, at the right time. God’s will for you is to never live in conflict with His word. God’s will for your life will always line up with His laws, His principles, and His wisdom. When we keep these three standards at play in decision making, we will find clarity even in the most emotionally charged environment.
16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
You will never accomplish the will of God by breaking the law of God, violating theprinciples of God, or ignoring the wisdom of God.
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The link to this past Sundays sermon is below
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsCommunityChurchOrlando/videos/911261256458102