David: A Man after God’s Heart (3)
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 3/6/2016
The Bible is full of ordinary, imperfect people. Noah drank 'til he passed out. Abraham lied about his marriage and slept with the maid. Sarah laughed at God’s promises. Jacob was a con-man. Leah was ugly. Moses was a murderer. Miriam was a gossip. Story after story is marked by scandal, stumble, and scheming. In fact, many of their antics and attitudes would make you think of the Saturday night crowd at the county jail, rather than the Sunday morning church crowd. What few halos there are among them could probably use a bit of straightening and polish. David was no exception. David was far from perfect and the Bible makes no attempts to gloss over his flaws. And yet, despite them, God himself declares: “I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 GWT).
Isn’t that intriguing? And, perhaps, a bit encouraging. Regardless of his flaws and foibles, God looked at the heart of David and saw a heart in pursuit of His own. Don’t you want to have a heart like that? Wouldn’t you like to be remembered as a man or woman after God’s own heart? Of course you would. The question is—what can we learn from David about being a man or woman after God’s heart?
As we learned a couple of weeks ago when Samuel anointed young David as the soon-to-be King of Israel, David had a hardworking, humble, hallelujah-filled heart. Then, last week, as David faced Goliath we saw a committed, confident, and courageous heart. So this morning, we’ll pick up David’s story in the aftermath of his triumph.
David had just accomplished an incredible thing, a remarkable victory. A young man, not yet twenty years old, who had never worn the uniform of the Israeli army, never once suited up for battle, never once carried a sword, had run out onto the battlefield, faced a giant of a man, and killed him with one throw of his sling. As a result, David gained instant popularity. He became a national hero. The people began to sing his praises. Saul made good on his promise to richly reward the man who killed Goliath. David became a permanent part of the king’s court and an overnight celebrity. Very few people could take all that in stride, but David did. He knew how to live with success without having it affect him. It’s a rare person who can do that.
When I say people began singing David’s praise, I mean literally. The Bible says, “Women from all of Israel’s cities… sang and danced, accompanied by tambourines, joyful music, and triangles. The women who were celebrating sang, ‘Saul has defeated thousands but David tens of thousands!’” (1 Samuel 18:6-7 GWT). I’m not familiar with the melody, but the lyrics certainly struck a chord with King Saul. Saul may have been the big man on campus, but he was small in character. So small, in fact, he couldn’t bear to watch someone who was very much his junior in age and experience rise above him, both in bravery and in popularity. The Bible says that Saul became very angry and kept a jealous eye on David. Meanwhile, Saul’s sanity seems to be slipping away as well. Fits of rage and restlessness become the norm.
Before long, David becomes the object of Saul’s rage and resentment. One day, as David played the harp in an attempt to soothe Saul’s fractured mind, Saul suddenly grabbed a nearby spear and hurled it at David. David dove out of the way, leaving the spear stuck in the wall. David couldn’t understand why the King hated so fiercely, but eventually, David was forced to flee. He became a fugitive in the wilderness of Judea. But he wasn’t alone. David’s popularity and prowess as a warrior drew quite a following. Like Robin Hood and his merry men, David and his followers lived in the wilderness always on the run from King Saul. In fact, the Bible says, “Saul sought him every day” (1 Samuel 23:14).
For months, David remained on the run and in hiding. Eventually, the Bible says, that David and his men took refuge among the rocks and caves of Engedi. Engedi was a perfect hideout for David. It was an oasis in the desert wilderness, where there were freshwater springs, waterfalls, lush vegetation, and countless caves in the rocky limestone cliffs, high above the Dead Sea. It provided protection and water and a natural lookout spot where he could see for miles around to guard against any enemy’s approach. These caves were ideal places to camouflage their presence. But somehow Saul got word about David’s location, so he chose 3,000 elite troops from Israel and went to Engedi in search of David and his men.
This is where come across a most peculiar tale that further reveals the heart of David. The story is told in 1 Samuel 24. After Saul and his men had spent the better part of the day scouring the rocks and cliffs unsuccessfully, he decided to head back home. But he has to make a pit stop first. The Bible says,
At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” (1 Samuel 24:3-4 NLT)
The Bible is a book about real people and real events, and this unique story is living proof. You can’t make this stuff up! In the midst of his mad rush for vengeance, Saul must answer the call of nature. I love how the King James Version translates this verse. It just wasn’t proper to talk about such things in those days, so they used an interesting euphemism: “Saul went in to cover his feet” (vs. 3 KJV). You might have to think about that one for minute. So he finds himself crouching in the privacy of a cave—but not just any cave. He tromps right into the mouth of the cave where David and his men were hiding. Talk about being vulnerable! Bad enough for the king to be seen at that moment, but to be in the very presence of the enemy.
With his eyes dulled from the desert sun, Saul doesn’t see David or his men, but they sure see him. Their eyes widen, their minds race, and their hands reach for daggers. One thrust of the blade will bring Saul’s tyranny and their running to an end. “Hey, here’s your opportunity,” one of David’s men whispers. Another tries to make it sound spiritual: “This has got to be a God thing, David! Didn’t God say he would put your enemy in your hand!?” These men had been trained to fight. And here was their enemy at his most vulnerable moment. I mean, he’s right there. “Go get him, David! This is it!”
So quiet as a cat, David makes his move. Saul’s there on his haunches, taking care of his business, looking out of the cave, and David edges along the wall, unsheathes his knife, then, the Bible says, “David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe” (1 Samuel 24:4 NIV). Then David creeps back into the recesses of the cave.
David’s men can’t believe what their leader has done. Neither can David. But for opposite reasons. They think he’s done too little; he thinks he’s done too much. The Bible says, “Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe” (1 Samuel 24:5 NIV).
Then he scolded himself and his men in hushed tones, saying, “God forbid that I should have done this to my master, God’s anointed, that I should so much as raise a finger against him. He’s God’s anointed!” (1 Samuel 24:6 MSG). So David held his men in check and wouldn’t let them pounce on Saul.
Moments later, Saul exits the cave and David soon follows.
After getting Saul’s attention, David shouts from the mouth of the cave, “My men wanted me to kill you, but I wouldn’t do it… look at this piece that I cut from your robe. I could have cut you—killed you!—but I didn’t. Look at the evidence! I’m not against you. I’m no rebel. I haven’t sinned against you, and yet you’re hunting me down to kill me.” (vs. 10-11 MSG).
Saul looks up, stunned, and wonders aloud, “Who else in all the world would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today” (vs. 19 TLB).
Saul then leaves in peace and David is free, if only for a while. So once again we ask—what does this tale teach us about the heart of David? First, it reveals that David had a God-focused heart!
• A FOCUSED HEART
David faced Saul the same he faced Goliath—by focusing on God. When the soldiers in the cave urged David to kill Saul, look who occupied David’s thoughts: “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” (1 Samuel 24:6 NLT). Three time in one verse David mentions the Lord: “the Lord forbid… the Lord’s anointed… the Lord himself…” David displays a God-saturated mind. The Lord dominates his thoughts.
The same was true on the battlefield with Goliath. The soldiers say nothing about God, the brothers never spoke his name, King Saul never mentions it, and Goliath only uses it as cuss word. But David takes one step on stage and raises the subject of the living God… the Lord Almighty… the God of the armies of Israel. No one else discusses God. David discusses no one else but God!
How might your attitudes and actions change if God became the primary focus of your thoughts? When we lose our focus on God, we tend to focus on ourselves, which makes us prone to selfish and stupid choices. So how do we develop a God-focused heart?
I think the first step is developing the habit of constant prayer. When you encounter a problem, pray about it. When someone tries your patience, pray. When peers pressure you to make the wrong choice, pray for them and yourself. Make prayer the first task of the morning and the last task of the evening. Of course, the other side of that coin is getting into God’s Word. Read even a small portion of God’s Word every day not in order to check it off a list Christian duties, but in order to hear God’s voice. The more time we spend with God—speaking to him and listening to him—the more He will come to dominate our thoughts. David focused his heart on God, so can we.
Furthermore, David had a faithful heart.
• A FAITHFUL HEART
Three times in this chapter David refers to Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.” Despite his disobedience to God and his only so-so sanity, Saul remained the rightful King. In fact, as David exited the cave, he called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” (1 Samuel 24:8 NIV). And when Saul looked back, David fell to his knees and bowed down in reverence! Can you believe that!? Whether Saul deserved it or not, David remained loyal to the crown.
I’m sure David was tempted. In fact, I’m convinced he almost gave in. When David unsheathed his knife, I don’t think he planned on cutting Saul’s threads—more like Saul’s throat. But as he came near the King, he came to his senses and just cut off a piece of robe instead stabbing Saul in the back. Despite pressure from his peers, David wouldn’t betray his King. Saul may have been faithless, but David proved faithful.
Faithfulness isn’t exactly a widespread virtue these days. According to the National Opinion Research Center 1 in 5 men and 1 in 10 women admit to cheating on their spouse sometime during their marriage. Hallmark, believe it or not, actually once sold a card that says “I can’t promise you forever, but I can promise you today.” That’s about as deep a commitment as some people are willing to make. Faithfulness means being dependable, trustworthy, and firm in keeping promises or carrying out responsibilities. A faithful person keeps their vows and honors their commitments, when it’s convenient and when it’s not. That’s the kind of person David was.
In this way, David imitated the heart of God. The Bible reminds us, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13 HCSB). God is dependable, trustworthy, loyal, staunch, resolute, constant, reliable, and true to his word—always and forever. You and I will face untold temptations in life. It may be the temptation to disobey a parent, break the law, cheat on a spouse, or betray a friend. In those moments our faithfulness is tested. A heart in pursuit of God is a faithful heart.
Finally, David had a forgiving heart.
• A FORGIVING HEART
The desire to "get even" seems to be a part of the human psyche. Revenge and retaliation are natural instincts. David demonstrates a better way.
From the mouth of the cave, David declared: “May the Lord decide between you and me. May the Lord take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you… the Lord must be the judge. He will decide between you and me.” (1 Samuel 24:12, 15 GWT). Rather than exacting revenge, David chose to put the matter in God’s hands.
We all have a Saul in our lives—someone who wronged you, hurt you, lied about you, betrayed you. Some of you can picture your Saul right now. Some of you may have more than one. For a select few, forgiveness comes easy. They never harbor a grudge or recite their hurts. Other of us (most of us) find it hard to forgive our Sauls.
If that scoundrel were to seek shade in your cave or lie sleeping at your feet… would you do what David did? Could you forgive the liar… the cheater… the abuser… the addict… the thief… the gossiper… who hurt you?
Failure to do so could be fatal. Someone once said, “Holding onto bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” The Bible agrees: “Resentment kills a fool” (Job 5:2 NIV). Vengeance fixates your attention at life’s ugliest moments. Score-settling freezes your stare at cruel events in your past. Is that really where you want to look?
The Bible reminds us, “It is foolish to harbor a grudge” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 TEV). The problem with an eye for an eye is—everybody ends up blind.
Now forgiveness isn’t foolishness. Forgiveness doesn’t mean ignoring or excusing the crime and it doesn’t mean you have to be BFFs again. David didn’t gloss over or sidestep Saul’s sin. He addressed it directly. He didn’t avoid the issue, be he did end up avoiding Saul: “Then Saul went home, and David and his men went to their fortified camp” (1 Samuel 24:22 GWT).
You might have to do the same. Give grace, but if need be, keep your distance.
Forgiveness, at its core, is letting go of your desire to punish the other person and letting God take care of it. God occupies the only seat on Heaven’s Supreme Court. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. Only God dispenses perfect justice. Taking revenge removes God from the equation. Vengeance is God’s job. So leave your enemies in his hands. In the final sum we give forgiveness, because we’ve been given forgiveness.
We, like Saul, have been freely given forgiveness.
So we, like David, can freely give it.
Conclusion:
We all have Saul’s in our life. It might be an employer who promised you something and didn’t come through. It might be a spouse who walked away when you needed him or her the most. It might be a mom or dad who failed you. It could be a friend you entrusted with some very intimate information, and the friend not only turned against you and revealed it, but is now telling lies about you. And you live today in the backwash of mistreatment. You have been “done wrong,” and maybe you’re waiting for the moment to get even. David had his opportunity, but he made a better choice. And that choice, made in a dark cave in the rocks of Engedi, revealed a God-focused, faithful, forgiving heart. What kind of heart do you have?
Next week, we’ll explore one last story in David’s life to see what else we can learn about being a man and woman after God’s heart.
Invitation:
In the meantime, maybe you could use some help staying focused on God, or maybe you’re wrestling with faithfulness in your relationships, or struggling to forgive your Sauls. I’d love to help you if I can. Please talk with me. You can pull me aside after church, call me at home, or come forward now while we stand and sing.
