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