1 Samuel 24: Time on His Side

I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me.

Towards the beginning of this book, Saul was the right and proper king, living in luxury. David had been secretly anointed as his replacement, but he lived in the desert, scrabbling to survive. Saul had a professional army, David a small band composed of family members and an assortment of outlaws. Twice, Saul accidentally fell into David’s hands, but David refused to kill him. He felt that would violate God’s will. He would not use his sword to become king. He fought not to win but to survive.

Survival was not easy. You can read between the lines of chapters 21-31 and see a great drama unfolding. Saul is clearly deteriorating. Can David hold on long enough to outlast him? At first David ran from one place to another, alone and completely vulnerable. Then, after a few hundred supporters joined him, the local people turned the rebels in twice. Perhaps they feared that Saul would slaughter them the way he had the Nob priests.

David survived and managed to keep his army intact. He even built popular support by providing military protection to his neighbors. But eventually he saw that his position was impossible. “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul,” he thought (27:1). He left Israel and became, with his army, a hired soldier for one of the Philistine kings.

David believed God’s promise even when his situation looked very bad. He would wait for God’s timing. God had anointed him king, and he trusted God to vindicate him. A sense of timing, people say, is essential to leadership. You must know when to act boldly and when to wait patiently; when to bend and when to stand firm. David had that critical sense of timing because he trusted God’s control of events.

Life Question: What makes you impatient? What can you learn about patience from David’s life?

I’d have to say my impatience grows alarmingly high from the same source that brings the absolute most joy to me in life- my kids. This is something that I’m so well aware of and have fervently tried to improve upon. With having the three of them at so very different ages- and so very different needs- it can present somewhat of a challenge at times. Like David, I need to submit my life to God and patiently work through the small little obstacles in life…like when I’m trying to shave in the morning and Sarah is screaming at my feet because she wants picked up, Josh has just spilled his entire breakfast on the floor, and Marie is irate because her little brother doesn’t know how to knock yet while she’s trying to dress…ugh!!