The Lord Will Decide

The Lord Will Decide

Good Morning! Happy Easter! Christ Is Risen!

Reading: 1 Samuel 24; Psalm 57-58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8 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.” (1 Samuel 24:4-6 NLT) Saul had committed all the military resources of Israel to hunt David down and kill him. David was already anointed as king, and if he killed Saul, it would be a simple process to unite the tribes of Israel under his leadership. Then, the most amazing thing happened! Saul went alone into the cave where David and some of his men were hiding! But David had a conscience! David had convictions about right and wrong. He trusted God, and God alone, to keep him safe, to fulfill the promise, and to complete the plan. So David refused to take matters into his own hands regarding Saul. Instead, David waited until Saul left the cave, then called to him from a distance…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 The Lord will decide between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. (1 Samuel 24:11-12 NLT) This is a reminder to me never to take matters into my own hands regarding self-promotion, judging others, or harming another to benefit myself. I must never seek revenge on those who mean me harm or who have done me harm. Like David, I will let the Lord decide. Prayer: Father, 1 Who may worship in your sanctuary? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? 2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. 3 Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. (Psalm 15:1-3 NLT) May I keep my hands clean and my heart pure. May I never harm another to benefit myself. May I always trust you to be my protector and defender. Amen.

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