It's Complicated(S1) : WK 6 - TUE

1 Samuel 24:5-8
But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.

After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.

Psalm 140:6-8
I said to the LORD, “You are my God!” Listen, O LORD, to my cries for mercy!

 O Sovereign LORD, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.

LORD, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud.

How hard is this? Everything lines up for David to take Saul’s life. The king is vulnerable, unarmed, and alone, while David is concealed in the shadows and bathed in the element of surprise. Fresh whispers of support ring in David’s ears, “Do it. Do it. Do it.” There is even a theological bent to the encouragement from the young warrior’s followers, “Today the LORD is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” (v4)

We have probably all experienced the growing voice of conscience as we crawl through the caves of our lives, shortcutting God’s intentions. But it is no small task to stop midstream, contemplate God’s will, and reverse course once we have started. This is remarkable.

David silently detaches a swatch of the king’s robe (he will soon regret even this), retreats a safe distance, and watches the opportunity vanish through the mouth of the cave. Returning to his disappointed men, David needs to explain. The problem wasn’t that he had lost his nerve or failed the attempt. Instead, conscience dictated that he let the king go. David had been talking with God between the time they last spoke and this moment of explanation. And that changed everything.

There is one hope for you and me to resist the temptation of inappropriate shortcuts… a living, ongoing, vibrant conversation with God.

There are several reasons the teaching team chose to pair Psalms with our study of the life of David. They are raw, earthy, and often easy to relate to. Some Psalms contain human struggles and sentiments found nowhere else in scripture. Conveniently, we have primarily chosen Psalms, which David himself composed, giving a unique insight into the mind of our central character. Maybe the best reason is that these Psalms illustrate what an ongoing conversation with God could sound like for you and me.

In Psalm 140, David pleads with God, “LORD, do not let evil people have their way.” As he pulls back from harming the king, he hears the reassuring voice of God, “That’s right, don’t take this into your own hands. I will take care of this. I am the one who placed Saul on the throne, and I will take care of you. Be patient and trust me.”

David pulls back from the brink of regret. Today, you can too. Center your mind on God. Allow His Word to flow over your challenges and victories. Talk with Him as you experience your day.

1. When something funny or exciting happens, who do you most want to share that with?
2. When angry or frightened, do you find it easy to talk about it? With whom?
3. Did you grow up with formulaic or free-form prayers? Do you find it easy to pray?
4. Find something bothering you and have an open-thought conversation with God about it.