Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 24 (day one)
” ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed.’ So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul.”–v 6-7
It seemed obvious to 99% of the people in that cave. This was God’s doing! God’s will! Let’s kill Saul and thank God for giving us this miraculous opportunity.
David saw deeper. He believed the promise of God to someday make him King, but he also felt compelled to honor/respect the anointing that God placed on Saul’s life. Opportunity is not permission. Those who know God’s promises must also know the patience to wait on the Lord.
“My time is not yet here”, Jesus told His brothers. How did he know this? By time with God’s word and time with God waiting Jesus came to understand the will of God.
“All who are led by the Spirit, these are the sons.”–Romans 8:14
Knowing God’s will is essential so we can live in peace and receive an assurance for an eternal life. It is clear to me that we need to study God’s Word if we want to understand His will for our lives. And the best way to know God’s will is to grow closer to Him.
David was a wise man. He honored and respected God’s choices for governance and waited patiently for his turn to take over. Growing closer to God and honoring God’s decisions and choices for ourselves and for others in His succession plan should be our operating guide to the end.