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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
My father, my father!
My father.. 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.
It is one thing to experience rejection and malice from a brother or sister, but it is entirely different to experience rejection and malice from a father. When I speak of fathers, I am not just referring to a biological father but to any leader God puts over us. These are the people we thought would love, train, nurture, and care for us.
To examine an example of a father who betrayed, let's look at the relationship between King Saul and David. Their lives touched even before they met, as Samuel, the prophet of God, anointed David to be the next king of Israel. David must have been overwhelmed with excitement, thinking, "This is the same man who anointed Saul. I am really going to be king!"
David was thrilled. He was living in the palace, eating at the king's table, married to the king's daughter, friends with Jonathan, and successful in all his campaigns. He was even winning favor of the people. He could see the prophecy unfolding before his very eyes.
Saul favored David over all his other servants. He had become a father to him. David was sure Saul would mentor and train him and one day, with great honor, put him on the throne. David was rejoicing in God's faithfulness and goodness. But in one day everything changed.
As Saul and David returned from battle, side by side, the women from all the cities of Israel came out dancing and singing:"Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." This infuriated Saul, and from that day forward, he despised David. Twice, as David played his harp for him, Saul tried to kill him.
"What is happening?" David wondered. "The promise was unfolding, and now it is shattered. The man who is my mentor is trying to kill me. What can I do? Saul is God's anointed servant. With him against me, what chance do I have? He's the king, God's man, over God's nation. Why is God allowing this?
Saul chased David from the wilderness to wilderness and cave to cave, accompanied by three thousand of Israel's finest warriors. They had one purpose: to destroy David.
Notice that God, not the devil, placed David under the care of Saul. Why would God not only allow this, but also plan it? Why was favor dangled before David's eyes only to have it abruptly taken away? This was a prime opportunity for David to be offended--not only with Saul, but also with God. All the unanswered questions increased the temptation to question God's wisdom and plan.
At one point Saul learned David was in the wilderness of En Gedi and set out after him with three thousand warriors. During their journey they stopped to rest at the entrance of a cave, not knowing David was hiding in the back. Saul removed his outer robe and laid it aside. David quietly slipped out of his hiding place, cut off a piece of the discarded robe, and crept away without being noticed.
After Saul left the cave, David bowed down to the ground and cried out after him: "My father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! ...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."
David's cry to Saul was, "My father, my father!" To put it plainly, he was crying, "see my heart! Be a father to me. I need a leader to train me, not to destroy me!" Even while Saul was trying to kill him, David's heart still burned with hope.
Where are the fathers?
I have seen this cry in countless men and women in the body of Christ. Most of them are young with a strong call of God on their lives. They cry out for a father, a man to disciple, love, support and encourage them. This is why God said He would "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" [Mal 4:6]
Countless young men and women who cried out for accountability, they wanted to be submitted to a leader who would disciple them. They felt isolated and alone. They were seeking someone to father them. But God allowed them to go through rejection because God wanted to do in them what He had done in David. Listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying.
David was concerned that Saul believed he was rebellious and evil. David must have searched his heart, saying, "Where have I gone wrong? How was Saul's heart turned against me so quickly?" That is why he cried out, "Someone urged me to kill you, but I said no. I only cut off the corner of your robe so that you could know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand". David thought if he could prove his love for Saul, Saul would restore him to favor, and the prophecy would be fulfilled.
People who have been rejected by a father or leader tend to take all the blame on themselves. They are imprisoned by the tormenting thoughts of What did I do? and Was my heart impure? Then they constanly try to prove their innocence and loyalty and value, thinking they will be accepted. Sadly, the more they try, the more rejected they feel.
Who will avenge me?
David must have thought, Now the king will restore me. Now the prophecy will come to pass. Surely he sees my heart and will treat me better now.
Not so fast, David. Only a short time later, men reported to Saul that David was in the hills of Hachilah. saul went after him again with the same three thousand soldiers. I'm sure this devastated David. He realized it wasn't a misunderstanding but that Saul was intentionally, without provocation, seeking his life. How rejected he must have felt. Saul knew his heart and still marched against him.
David, along with Abishai, slipped into Saul's camp. Not one guard saw them because God had put them all in a deep sleep. These two men sneaked through the entire army to where Saul was sleeping. Abishai pleaded with David. "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!"[1 Sam 26:8]
But David response was: "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? ...As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed." [1 Sam 26:9-11]
David would not kill Saul even though Saul had murdered innocent people and wanted to murder David as well. David would not avenge himself, but left it in the hands of God. David left him to God's hand to judge.
And even though David was rejected by the one who should have fathered him, he remained loyal even after Saul's death. It is easy to be loyal to a leader or father who loves you, but what about one who is out to destroy you? Will you be a man or woman after the heart of God, or will you seek to avenge yourself?
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Eveline pops at |10:19 PM|
Captivate my heart, dear Jesus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------My father, my father!
My father.. 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.
1 Samuel 24:11
It is one thing to experience rejection and malice from a brother or sister, but it is entirely different to experience rejection and malice from a father. When I speak of fathers, I am not just referring to a biological father but to any leader God puts over us. These are the people we thought would love, train, nurture, and care for us.
To examine an example of a father who betrayed, let's look at the relationship between King Saul and David. Their lives touched even before they met, as Samuel, the prophet of God, anointed David to be the next king of Israel. David must have been overwhelmed with excitement, thinking, "This is the same man who anointed Saul. I am really going to be king!"
David was thrilled. He was living in the palace, eating at the king's table, married to the king's daughter, friends with Jonathan, and successful in all his campaigns. He was even winning favor of the people. He could see the prophecy unfolding before his very eyes.
Saul favored David over all his other servants. He had become a father to him. David was sure Saul would mentor and train him and one day, with great honor, put him on the throne. David was rejoicing in God's faithfulness and goodness. But in one day everything changed.
As Saul and David returned from battle, side by side, the women from all the cities of Israel came out dancing and singing:"Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." This infuriated Saul, and from that day forward, he despised David. Twice, as David played his harp for him, Saul tried to kill him.
"What is happening?" David wondered. "The promise was unfolding, and now it is shattered. The man who is my mentor is trying to kill me. What can I do? Saul is God's anointed servant. With him against me, what chance do I have? He's the king, God's man, over God's nation. Why is God allowing this?
Saul chased David from the wilderness to wilderness and cave to cave, accompanied by three thousand of Israel's finest warriors. They had one purpose: to destroy David.
Notice that God, not the devil, placed David under the care of Saul. Why would God not only allow this, but also plan it? Why was favor dangled before David's eyes only to have it abruptly taken away? This was a prime opportunity for David to be offended--not only with Saul, but also with God. All the unanswered questions increased the temptation to question God's wisdom and plan.
At one point Saul learned David was in the wilderness of En Gedi and set out after him with three thousand warriors. During their journey they stopped to rest at the entrance of a cave, not knowing David was hiding in the back. Saul removed his outer robe and laid it aside. David quietly slipped out of his hiding place, cut off a piece of the discarded robe, and crept away without being noticed.
After Saul left the cave, David bowed down to the ground and cried out after him: "My father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! ...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."
David's cry to Saul was, "My father, my father!" To put it plainly, he was crying, "see my heart! Be a father to me. I need a leader to train me, not to destroy me!" Even while Saul was trying to kill him, David's heart still burned with hope.
Where are the fathers?
I have seen this cry in countless men and women in the body of Christ. Most of them are young with a strong call of God on their lives. They cry out for a father, a man to disciple, love, support and encourage them. This is why God said He would "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" [Mal 4:6]
Countless young men and women who cried out for accountability, they wanted to be submitted to a leader who would disciple them. They felt isolated and alone. They were seeking someone to father them. But God allowed them to go through rejection because God wanted to do in them what He had done in David. Listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying.
David was concerned that Saul believed he was rebellious and evil. David must have searched his heart, saying, "Where have I gone wrong? How was Saul's heart turned against me so quickly?" That is why he cried out, "Someone urged me to kill you, but I said no. I only cut off the corner of your robe so that you could know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand". David thought if he could prove his love for Saul, Saul would restore him to favor, and the prophecy would be fulfilled.
People who have been rejected by a father or leader tend to take all the blame on themselves. They are imprisoned by the tormenting thoughts of What did I do? and Was my heart impure? Then they constanly try to prove their innocence and loyalty and value, thinking they will be accepted. Sadly, the more they try, the more rejected they feel.
Who will avenge me?
David must have thought, Now the king will restore me. Now the prophecy will come to pass. Surely he sees my heart and will treat me better now.
Not so fast, David. Only a short time later, men reported to Saul that David was in the hills of Hachilah. saul went after him again with the same three thousand soldiers. I'm sure this devastated David. He realized it wasn't a misunderstanding but that Saul was intentionally, without provocation, seeking his life. How rejected he must have felt. Saul knew his heart and still marched against him.
David, along with Abishai, slipped into Saul's camp. Not one guard saw them because God had put them all in a deep sleep. These two men sneaked through the entire army to where Saul was sleeping. Abishai pleaded with David. "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!"[1 Sam 26:8]
But David response was: "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? ...As surely as the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed." [1 Sam 26:9-11]
David would not kill Saul even though Saul had murdered innocent people and wanted to murder David as well. David would not avenge himself, but left it in the hands of God. David left him to God's hand to judge.
And even though David was rejected by the one who should have fathered him, he remained loyal even after Saul's death. It is easy to be loyal to a leader or father who loves you, but what about one who is out to destroy you? Will you be a man or woman after the heart of God, or will you seek to avenge yourself?
The Bait of satan
Eveline pops at |10:19 PM|