"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. He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'? 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 lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.' 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. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 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." I Samuel 24:8-12
Our Wednesday night women's Bible studies have followed David from the sheepfolds of Judea to the battle fields of Israel. We have watched David tend his father's sheep and unexpectedly be anointed king when he was just a young lad. We witnessed David's passionate faith in his Almighty God when he killed a 9 foot giant, and we have seen him developing into a man after God's own heart. We have sadly also seen the hatred and jealous anger of a king who felt threatened by David's successes and we watched David flee from those he believed were his supporters. It has been a blessing and a challenge to look into the life of David up to this point.
The past couple of weeks we watched God put David into the Refiners Fire, removing his sources of "support" and bringing David to a point where he had to rely on God and God alone as his source of life and peace of mind, we find the sweet singer of Psalms fleeing for his very
life and living in a dark wet cave. God has been teaching David the difficult lesson that only God is worthy to be leaned upon. In I Samuel 24, David is hiding with his men in a cave. While there, he is presented with an opportunity that many men would have died for: the opportunity to exact revenge upon his greatest enemy, Saul. David has the perfect opportunity to kill Saul, claim the throne and elevate himself all the way to the very top. But, David does not do what most people would have done in that situation. Instead of reacting with hatred, revenge and murder; David displays, love, grace, compassion and forgiveness. Here, it is easy to see why the Lord called David, "A man after Mine Own heart." Isn't this what our Loving Heavenly Father does for each of us? We have sinned and fallen SO short of the glory of God, and yet He reaches out to us across eternity, sacrifices His Only Son so that we can find forgiveness, mercy and grace in time of need. If you pause and consider David's choice in the cave to not kill Saul, we can see God's Heart of mercy at work as well! Notice what he says in verse 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". David wasn't letting Saul off the hook for his wrongdoings against him, he was merely stating that GOD would deal with Saul, but not by David's hand that day. How easy it would have been for David to justify that he was being used by the Lord to right the wrongs, but in his heart of hearts he KNEW God's heart well enough to know it was not right to raise his human hand against the Lord's anointed. A powerful truth to consider for all of us today, my beloved brothers and sisters.
As we consider the verses of our passage today, we often find ourselves in the same place in which David found himself. Someone will wrong us or do something against us. We will be offended and hurt by their actions. Then, somewhere down the road, the opportunity will present itself for us to "get even." What we do at that moment defines us! What we do when that opportunity for revenge presents itself reveals the true nature of our heart! Do YOU have God's heart within you? if so, then your choice will be to offer grace and forgiveness, and choose to not demand justice by your own hand when you are wronged. Romans 12:19 reminds us: " Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." You must not take matters into your own hands, but instead allow God to be the One in charge of vengeance. I realize that I am saying is not an easy thing to do. If you read the chapters that precede I Samuel 24, you will learn that it was not an easy choice for David either, but he is there recorded in the pages of your Bible as an example to learn from. It is possible to extend mercy when you let go of your "right to get even" and let GOD be in control when your enemies rise up against you. No good thing comes from revenge, only emptiness and pain for all involved. God is glorified when you respond with His love and in His ways. Remember the story of the servant who was forgiven and then went out and demanded that those who owed him money pay back every penny?
Matt 18:23-35: (Jesus speaking) "Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!' The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!' He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."
The Master was not pleased in the parable with the unforgiving servant, and God will not be pleased if we as His children do the same when we have been forgiven such a great debt when our sins were washed away by His Son's redeeming blood. Learn from David, learn from the words of Jesus, and remember that God requires that we forgive from our HEARTS.
Shalom, sister Lahoma
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