1 Samuel 24:11–12: “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.”

June 2nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

As Saul was pursuing David once again, he stopped in a cave. What he didn’t know was that David and his men were in the deepest part of the cave. David was able to cut off a corner of Saul’s robe without him knowing. When Saul left, David called after him. His argument was that if he were a wicked rebel, against the rule of Saul, then he would have killed Saul when he had the opportunity, but he’d chosen not to. The piece of Saul’s robe was proof to Saul that David was not his enemy. David also used the term, “my father,” probably not simply out of respect, but as a reminder to the king that he was Saul’s son-in-law. Saul seemed to remember that and later gave David’s wife, his daughter, to someone else. The Living Bible is clearer in verse 12 when it reads, “Perhaps the Lord will kill you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.” You would think that would get any person’s attention, even a paranoid king like Saul.

This event raises an interesting question for us. Is there anyone in our life who has hurt us or someone we love so much that in a moment of honesty, we might say, “Lord take them. I wish they were gone from my life.” Maybe this is an unfair question, since probably everyone has at least one person in their life they wish didn’t exist. What is fascinating here is that David had a perfect opportunity to take care of his problem but he refused to touch the “Lord’s anointed.” It was even more tempting because David already had the anointing of God to be king, but he still refused to rush God’s timetable. Saul was God’s instrument to work on David’s life, using Saul to develop David’s character, integrity, and complete dependency upon God rather than self. Could it be that God has allowed such people into our lives for the same purposes? We must be careful to see God’s hand in both the positive and negative circumstance of our lives, as well as the difficult individuals who cross our paths every day.

“LORD, give us eyes to see You at work in us, even through everything that swirls around us today.”