Good Morning Friends,
Saul and his army waged a battle against the Philistines.
The Lord had withdrawn His hand of blessing from Saul because of his wickedness
and the army of Israel was defeated. Three of Saul’s sons were killed and Saul
was severely wounded. He was so severely wounded that he knew he could not
survive and so he took his own life. The army was defeated, the king and his
sons were dead.
David and his men were not involved in the
battle because Saul was still angry with David and threatening to kill him. David
had found refuge in the land of the Philistines. Word of Saul’s and Jonathan’s
deaths and of the defeat of the army of Israel came to David. Here’s how David
reacted to the death of the man who was trying to kill him.
“Then David and all the men with him took hold of
their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for
Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of
Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” (2 Samuel 1:11-12)
David did not rejoice in the death of his
enemy. David found no pleasure in what happened to Saul. Although Saul was set
on killing David, David still wanted no harm to come to Saul.
All of us encounter those who oppose us
sometimes in life. They may not be bitter enemies who seek our deaths, like
Saul was to David. But we encounter people whose personalities clash with ours,
those who treat us with great unkindness, those who do damage to our careers.
In those senses, we encounter enemies. David teaches us how to react to them --
not to seek their harm, but even for enemies to seek their good.
That’s what Jesus said, too. “Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45)
What a novel concept? What a foreign idea to
the normal ways of the world? What a way to change the world?
Love your enemies!
His, by Grace, Steve
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