“He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, ‘This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.’”
– 1 Samuel 24:3-6
We looked at King David yesterday, his call from God, and how things got tougher for him after his anointing. I want to share another lesson we may learn from this Biblical hero today: how to live in the certainty of our calling while also respecting Jesus’ timing. Despite Samuel’s declaration that David would be Israel’s next king, David was aware that Saul held the anointing and authority to rule until God’s appointed time. Although he was hounded and harassed by this maniacal ruler, the young warrior maintained his humble demeanor, even though his heart must have cried out, “Where are you, Lord?” “Why have you abandoned me?” He was so fond of Saul that he spared his life on two occasions. On one occasion, the king entered the cave where David and his companions were hiding after leaving his army outside to relieve himself. David cut a piece of Saul’s robe off when he was in that vulnerable position to show him that he had the opportunity to kill him but decided not to. Later on, the same event happened, except this time the young soldier came upon the king sleeping, sparing his life but took away his spear and water buckets to show that he showed mercy on him a second time. Even though David’s companions persuaded him to kill Saul in both of these cases, he refused, saying, “Shall I kill the Lord’s anointed?” The future king recognized that God had called him and that He was the one who would promote him at the right moment. As a result, David was able to treat his adversary with fairness, justice, and unending mercy! Friend, the call of God is irreversible, but it is entirely in God’s hands! Don’t get discouraged if Jesus tells you about your destiny and it doesn’t happen as quickly or in the way you expected. Even when you see an opening, try not to take matters into your own hands or to rush God’s plan. Respect your position, and respect those to whom He has given authority, even if it is the authority He has promised to you. If you accept the irritating perfection of His timing, you will get to where He is leading. Everything between now and the fulfillment of your destiny is being used by Him to refine your character and make you more like Him! Isn’t that fantastic news? |
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for the irritating perfection of your timing. I am aware that you have put a call on my life, and I am confident that you will carry it out according to your plan.
Reflection
Have you ever felt compelled to take matters into your own hands to “accelerate” your journey to your destination?
If you’re unable to attend your local church or need some additional weekly inspiration, be sure to tune into Hour of Power every Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on TBN or watch online at hourofpower.org/episode.
