Thursday
What would you do if you could get revenge on a person who has caused you nothing but trouble your whole life? Would you do it? Would you seek to harm that person? David is given just exactly that opportunity. What do you think he is going to do with it?
In our reading today, we have seen Saul get about as despicable as a human can be. He has Ahimelech the priest and his whole family of priests brought before him and accuses them of helping David. Ahimelech seems quite baffled by this because he recognizes David as a loyal follower of Saul, and the kings son-in-law. He had no reason to suspect David was being hunted by the king. Apparently Ahimelech had helped David in the past without reproach. But Saul is so filled with hatred and jealousy that he orders the priests to be killed, only his own guard was not willing to do such a detestable thing and so Doeg the tattle-tale does it, he kills Ahimelech, and the priests. All Ahimelech’s family and town, even the cattle and sheep are put to death, only Abiathar escapes to warn David.
So David gets his chance to kill Saul in one of the caverns he has been hiding in. But David, who really is a man after God’s own heart, refuses to harm him, and even regrets cutting the hem of Saul’s robe. David could have ended the hardships he and is men were enduring, but David also recognized that revenge was not his to do.
It is a good lesson for us to learn when it comes to seeking revenge or hurting someone who has harmed us. There is no lasting joy in it, there is no peace to be found. We need to be more like David and let God deal with those who have harmed us and then do as Jesus commands us to do – pray for them, pray for our enemies. And God will bless you for it.
Blessings
PK