Thursday 21 April 2016

Let God sort it

Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.' But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand." – 1 Samuel 24.11-15

Yesterday we saw David sparing Saul’s life even when he had the perfect chance to take him out. To our modern way of world infested thinking that made no sense at all. Kill him and get it sorted!

That seems to be a pretty common mindset. Even today a lot of folks seem to have the idea that I'd we are hard done by we need to do something about it and take out revenge against them. We think we know what is just and think we are the right ones to to carry out justice.

Let's see what David told Saul after the encounter – ‘Even though you are trying to kill me when I had the chance to kill you I didn’t. You can do whatever you want, but I am not going to respond. I am going to let God sort things out and rest in Him doing what is right.’

Wouldn't it be nice if we could sort out problems the same way? Why are we so tempted to ‘get our own back’ or take revenge or have the ‘you can’t treat me that way’ or ‘you can’t expect me roll over and play dead’ attitude. If someone treats us badly we feel like we just have to respond!

David’s attitude toward Saul is based on what the New Testament calls a ‘meek and gentle spirit.’ We ought to be able to trust God to sort things out for us no matter what. He is the Just One, our justice is based on our own pride and feelings.

So when we are hard done by let’s pray for the people involved, communicate with them, and leave the rest to God. He is well able to deal with it.

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