The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Samuel 20:1,
"What have I [David] done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father [King Saul], that he is trying to kill me?"
The answer to David's question is: nothing. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's hatred of him. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's attempts to kill him. What David had done was to demonstrate Saul's shortcomings by simply living a life of faith.
Through faith, David had the courage to face Goliath and kill him, while Saul cowered. By faith David went out to fight against the Philistines while Saul stayed in his house contemplating how he would kill David, 19:8-9.
Saul was a man who lacked faith and made his decisions based on the circumstances he observed. He became odious in God's sight, "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." 15:11. David, on the other hand, was a man of great faith. Not a perfect man (there has only ever been one of those), but a man of great faith. Paul made this observation of David, quoting God, when he preached his sermon at Pisidian Antioch, "I [God] have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.
Saul, on the other hand, found for himself the truth of Hebrews 11:6, "...without faith it is impossible to please God...". David was everything Saul was not. As a result, Saul, understandably, felt threatened by David when there really was no threat from David's corner.
David found the truth of what John had to say a thousand years later as he spoke of another circumstance Illustrating the very same thing, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:12-13.
"What have I [David] done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father [King Saul], that he is trying to kill me?"
The answer to David's question is: nothing. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's hatred of him. David had done nothing at all to warrant Saul's attempts to kill him. What David had done was to demonstrate Saul's shortcomings by simply living a life of faith.
Through faith, David had the courage to face Goliath and kill him, while Saul cowered. By faith David went out to fight against the Philistines while Saul stayed in his house contemplating how he would kill David, 19:8-9.
Saul was a man who lacked faith and made his decisions based on the circumstances he observed. He became odious in God's sight, "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." 15:11. David, on the other hand, was a man of great faith. Not a perfect man (there has only ever been one of those), but a man of great faith. Paul made this observation of David, quoting God, when he preached his sermon at Pisidian Antioch, "I [God] have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.
Saul, on the other hand, found for himself the truth of Hebrews 11:6, "...without faith it is impossible to please God...". David was everything Saul was not. As a result, Saul, understandably, felt threatened by David when there really was no threat from David's corner.
David found the truth of what John had to say a thousand years later as he spoke of another circumstance Illustrating the very same thing, "Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:12-13.
Those who are not of faith feel threatened by those of faith. It is the very thing that drives our contemporary society to turn against any vestige of Jesus Christ and his church today. Monuments of bygone times are being removed because they recognize Jesus Christ, Christmas carols and nativity displays are being removed because they recognize Jesus Christ. Displays of the Ten Commands are being removed because they point to the things of God. All of this with an enormous animosity that has often left us believers feeling bewildered... "what did we do?" - just like David.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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