When Our Lives Please The LORD....

Here’s a story that perfectly illustrates proverbs 16:7, “When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.” David could’ve easily killed King Saul while he was in the cave, but he knew that God had chosen Saul to be king. It wasn’t David’s place to play God by killing Saul to become king. It’s proven in the fact that David swore an oath not to destroy Saul’s descendants when he eventually became king. It also shows where David’s heart really was. He was running from Saul, scared and distraught, but he knew God was with him. This reverence for God, kept David from doing a regrettable thing. The story tells us that when he cut part of Saul’s robe that his conscience started bothering him. Wow!!! Here David was put in a situation that he could’ve taken control of his destiny and gained the kingdom all in one day by killing Saul. He chose not to take the advice of his men and he spared Saul’s life. Maybe he thought, “if I kill Saul as king, God’s anointed one, when I’m king, someone will do to me the very same thing?” David was living out the “golden rule” before it became “golden” (spoken by Jesus). Maybe this is what it means to be a “man after God’s own heart”. To submit ourselves to the will of God by restraining from taking matters into our own hands. David could’ve prayed and asked God if he should kill Saul. Maybe he already did and God answered him (we don’t know because it’s not mentioned). What we do know is that David did the right thing by refraining from killing Saul. He knew God would make him king, so he trusted God to make it happen. Isn’t that what God wants from all of us: our faith in Him played out in our obedient behavior? Ask God to help you live your life out in obedient faith today, even if you don’t know what the future holds. Be like David, submit your will to His will, and even your enemies will make peace with you.

1 After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3 ,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’ ” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 “The Lord knows I shouldn’t have done that to my lord the king,” he said to his men. “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord Himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king–he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and He will rescue me from your power!”16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold. 1 Samuel 24