Timing

I Sam.24:6

"The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed."

Even Saul knew that the kingdom had been taken from him and given to David, but it did not stop Saul from trying to kill David. He wanted the kingdom for his offspring regardless of what God had decreed. Since he had lost the kingdom because of disobedience, he was once again asserting his own self-will in trying to keep the kingdom even to the point of having 85 priests of the Lord slaughtered. What was David's response? He ran for his life. Together with the 400 men who had joined him, he stayed out of harm's way. The normal, human response would have been to make a plan and take Saul out thus eliminating the threat. After all, David was to be the king. God had said so, and Samuel had anointed him. Yet, when David and Saul came close in the cave, David spared his life and only cut off the edge of his robe. Even David's men could not understand this action. To them it seemed the perfect time to end the threat. After Saul left the cave, David called out to him telling him that he had spared his life because he was the Lord's anointed. Saul recognized the righteousness in David because he had repaid good for the evil Saul was sending his way. But did this stop Saul's pursuit of him? No, the threat continued.

David was waiting for God's timing. Even though he knew God had decreed his kingship, his men wanted Saul dead, and Saul admitted he was doing evil, he didn't move ahead and take the throne. He didn't want God's will apart from God's timing. What a valuable lesson! How hard it is to wait for what is God's will in God's time! Am I patiently waiting for the Lord to work out the details of my life? Do I weaken when things get tough and seek to destroy the perceived threats? Do I see the sovereign hand of God behind all the details of my life?

Father,

Keep my eyes wide open so that I may constantly see your hand in my life. Teach me to rest in Your goodness being worked out in all that You allow in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen