July 03, 2010
Saul continues to pursue David. He takes 3000 men with him. Saul goes into the cave where David and his men are hiding. Saul has no clue they are there. David's men think this is a perfect opportunity for him to get rid of his enemy Saul. But instead, David sneaks up and cuts off a corner of Saul's robe, and he even felt guilty over doing that. Saul leaves. David comes out of the cave and shows Saul the corner of his robe. Saul realizes David could have easily killed him but showed him grace instead.
David asks, "Why do you listen when people say, 'David wants to harm you'?"
You've seen it with your own eyes. I could have harmed you. Other people said I should harm you. But I didn't. Now you know! Here is a piece of your robe. I didn't harm you. "I did nothing wrong to you, but you are hunting to kill me. May the LORD judge between us, and may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me. But I am not against you." I Samuel 24:11-15 - David goes on to say, "There is an old saying: 'Evil things come from evil people.' But I am not against you." Who are you chasing? It's as if you are chasing a dead dog or flea. May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May he support me and show that I am right. May he save me from you."
Saul replied, "The Lord handed me over to you, but you didn't kill me. May the LORD reward you because you were good to me today." David showed Saul mercy and for a time it appeared Saul finally understood. Unfortunately, the next chapters will show it was only for a short time.
It has been good for me to read and understand this. I am a mercy giver, and sometimes mercy givers think that if they give mercy and show grace to others that somehow that will enable the other person to "get it" and change their ways. There is an element of wanting to have God's reins in our hands because IF I showed mercy THEN surely they would want to return to God. But now I understand this truth more fully; showing grace does not equal change. David tried to rationalize with Saul. He tried to intellectually explain things to Saul. He extended grace to Saul. And in the end, none of those things worked because there was no heart change. There has to be a heart change. Extending grace won't miraculously work and change someone's thinking. As mercy givers we need to quit trying to pick up God's reins and realize the responsibility for the other person's life choices (and the results of their life choices) is just that—their responsibility ... their consequences. It is ultimately that simple. It has to be the heart that changes.
David said in I Samuel 24:12 - "May he (God) punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I am not against you."
Next Entry: I Samuel 25:1 – 26:25
Saul continues to pursue David. He takes 3000 men with him. Saul goes into the cave where David and his men are hiding. Saul has no clue they are there. David's men think this is a perfect opportunity for him to get rid of his enemy Saul. But instead, David sneaks up and cuts off a corner of Saul's robe, and he even felt guilty over doing that. Saul leaves. David comes out of the cave and shows Saul the corner of his robe. Saul realizes David could have easily killed him but showed him grace instead.
David asks, "Why do you listen when people say, 'David wants to harm you'?"
You've seen it with your own eyes. I could have harmed you. Other people said I should harm you. But I didn't. Now you know! Here is a piece of your robe. I didn't harm you. "I did nothing wrong to you, but you are hunting to kill me. May the LORD judge between us, and may he punish you for the wrong you have done to me. But I am not against you." I Samuel 24:11-15 - David goes on to say, "There is an old saying: 'Evil things come from evil people.' But I am not against you." Who are you chasing? It's as if you are chasing a dead dog or flea. May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May he support me and show that I am right. May he save me from you."
Saul replied, "The Lord handed me over to you, but you didn't kill me. May the LORD reward you because you were good to me today." David showed Saul mercy and for a time it appeared Saul finally understood. Unfortunately, the next chapters will show it was only for a short time.
It has been good for me to read and understand this. I am a mercy giver, and sometimes mercy givers think that if they give mercy and show grace to others that somehow that will enable the other person to "get it" and change their ways. There is an element of wanting to have God's reins in our hands because IF I showed mercy THEN surely they would want to return to God. But now I understand this truth more fully; showing grace does not equal change. David tried to rationalize with Saul. He tried to intellectually explain things to Saul. He extended grace to Saul. And in the end, none of those things worked because there was no heart change. There has to be a heart change. Extending grace won't miraculously work and change someone's thinking. As mercy givers we need to quit trying to pick up God's reins and realize the responsibility for the other person's life choices (and the results of their life choices) is just that—their responsibility ... their consequences. It is ultimately that simple. It has to be the heart that changes.
David said in I Samuel 24:12 - "May he (God) punish you for the wrong you have done to me! But I am not against you."
Next Entry: I Samuel 25:1 – 26:25
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