Choices or Opportunity

I'm finishing my study of 1 Samuel and it's been so good. I just love the O.T. !

This week several things have been bouncing around in my head the words- Choices and Opportunity.

David had many choices and opportunities to take out Saul who was seeking David out to hurt him if not kill him. He was falsely accusing him of wrong doing and yet David didn't feel the need to stand up and defend himself.

In 1 Samuel 24:4

" The men of David said to him, " Behold, this is the Day of which the Lord said, to you, ' behold, I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you."

this is the scene where Saul and his men are seeking after David. Saul needs to relieve himself and so he goes into a cave. Little did he know that David was in the cave hiding. As Saul is relieving himself David cuts off a part of his garment and chooses not not do harm to Saul. it says that , " David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly."

I think this is a great example of the Matt. 5:44 passage that says, " But I say to You, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

David had been given the opportunity to do what was right in his own eyes and yet he chose to do no harm to King Saul. David realized that he was innocent and that he had nothing to prove and so he trusted in the lord to do His will and to trust that He would do to Saul what was needed.

I needed to be reminded of this and to remember that just because there is opportunity to do what is right in my own eyes I have a choice to Love and pray for my enemies.

Lord, may I not seek my own benefits but put others before myself!