Let it Go! In His Word-10-21-13





Let it Go! In His Word- 10-21-13


Some people just do not know when to let
go!  They hang on to the past to the point of ruining their lives and often the lives of those around them. We see this in the news all the time; someone makes a mistake and instead of taking the help they need they add to their troubles by robbing, killing, or bullying others who merely try to help them.

King Saul falls into the category of not letting go of his own mistakes, in fact he blamed them on the very people God set him up to serve as King over. Hello? A king is to rule over a country and serve as a guide and director of the people to do the right thing; but King Saul listened to the wants and desires instead of the peoples needs. He allowed the people to feed their greed by taking some of the 'booty' left by the country they had beat in war, and then he gave in to the worry and impatience as he waited for Samuel.


Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men where trembling with fear. Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn't come. Saul realized his troops where rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel Arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn't arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, 'The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven't even asked for the Lord's help!' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” How foolish!” 
Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command.”                   
1 Samuel 13: 9-14

the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
 1 Samuel 16:7

When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. This was their song:
Saul has killed his thousands,and David his ten thousands!”
This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. 1 Samuel 18:6-9
Add to the disobedience to God the jealousy that grew in King Saul's heart against David for doing what God told him to do and you get one big lump of leaven.
The story goes that David asked forgiveness of whatever he had done, though he really had done nothing wrong, and King Saul claims to have forgiven him yet still sought to take David's life.

If Saul had repented in the beginning things may have changed for him, for God was seeking a leader after His own heart.

Saul put his choices above God's when he gave out the booty; he put worry above trusting God when he let his impatience cause him to sin by attempting to present the offerings to God himself when he knew he was supposed to wait for Samuel. God had given him the direction to follow.
Now he could have changed his heart, accepted that he had made mistakes and tried to at least be a good king and follow God from then on. His kingdom may not have lasted forever but at least he would have had a good record; but no, he allowed jealousy for David to cloud his judgment again and again.
The young man who had once given him peace in times of turmoil now was his biggest pain. He pursued David with armies and even took up the sword and spear himself to attempt to rid himself of what he thought would solve the problem; David his replacement, a man after God's own heart.
All because he could not let it go he would end up dying on his own sword.

Are you going to die on your own sword, by your own hand or order? Are you running yourself in circles trying to take care of the problem as you see it or are you seeking God for the answers and doing what He tells you to do?

Some people do not like to deal with the problems they cause, they would rather forget about it and sweep it under the rug. But God wants us to give it to him and make amends first with Him and then with the person or people involved.
I know of people, I am sure you do too, who have made mistakes, sought help of men or women who lead them; only to be pushed away and ignored causing pain even though the person has to tried make things right. The leaders have have allowed the injury to grow and fester in the sometimes still lost, or merely a problem causing person, instead of dealing with the situation. Reality hurts, we must follow Gods direction in His Word to fix the problems we create in life and then we will be 'right with Him', and find healing for the pain. God wants us to have a contrite, honest desire to do what He shows us is right; repent, reset, and restore our walk with Christ.
Cast me not away from your presence O' Lord; take not your Holy Spirit from me, restore unto me the joy of my salvation... Psalm 1:10-12
We can learn by David's attitude to follow God regardless of how his leader, King Saul, was behaving toward him unjustly. Even when his life was in danger David showed propriety and honor to his king. In two instances he could have killed Saul, in one he took a sword and cut a piece of the king's garment to prove his sincerity. He showed him he respected him and asked his forgiveness again, tried to reset their friendship. It did not happen but David did not touch God's anointed king to harm him.
It wasn't written yet but David did this! We need to do it too, when someone angers us because they were not there for us we need to put off the anger, wrath, malice etc, we should not talk against them but seek to make things right with God and then man. Repent, then restore the friendship if possible, and then renew your walk daily with God and man.

But now you yourselves are to put off these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. Colossians 3:8-10

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to forgive the injuries others have caused, and help us to repent and renew the right attitudes as you renew the right Spirit within us. Restore to us the joy of our salvation, in Jesus' name, amen.

Suggested Readings: Colossians 3:1-21, Psalm 51:1-19, 1 Samuel 16:1-27, and Ephesians 4:1-32