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Second, Saul refused to take God into consideration. His convictions as to what could or could not be done were based solely on human experiences. And how natural it is to base our judgments on outward appearances. We make up our little finite minds as to what we can or cannot do entirely on the basis of the carnal and the physical. It is little wonder then that we are not pleasing to God. Again and again we have robbed ourselves of the opportunity of doing exploits for God. SAVE THYSELF Perhaps the most subtle and far-reaching reasons for David to avoid a seemingly senseless duel with Goliath was the fact that he had already been selected as the next King of Israel. (I Samuel 16:12-13) As such it was his privilege and duty to protect his own royal head. Or was it? It would seem foolish for God to expect him to risk his life after Samuel had annointed him to be King. Nor would the Children of Israel think of permitting him to fight if they only knew about him what he so surely knew about himself. Logic would indicate that he must save himself from this perilous situation — primarily of course, for the sake of the nation over which God had chosen him to rule. Was not his very anointing sufficient evidence that God did not want him to endanger his life in any way? Was it not proof of the fact that he was not expendable? How quickly and naturally these thoughts must have raced through his mind, and yet he did not allow them to make a nest within his thinking. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and what is more, our thoughts are often in opposition to His. The very weakness of our unregenerate reason is found in its enmity toward God. How often gifted men — men gifted by God — have acquiesced to the subtle desire to protect their gifts and their lives. “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39). The secret of God’s blessing upon David’s life rested in his willingness to lose it. It was in this that he demonstrated his right to rule. If we give our gifts, we will gain them. Preserve them and they will die. Though God often calls a man to serve him in ways in which his gifts will be most naturally used, yet any feeling that those gifts are inexpendable is dangerous. The Lord of Harvest may call the gifted musician to Africa or a well-trained electrical engineer to India where those respective talents will not be greatly used. Any withdrawing from the will of God simply be cause we have God-given gifts, talents of training that we want to protect is but to fail. David risked his anointed head and gained a crown from Israel and acclamation from Immanuel. (This is the third article in a series that may be ob tained in an attractive booklet entitled “ The Giant in Your Life,” 50c per copy from the Biola Book Room or from Don Hillis, P.O. Box 45, Los Angeles 53, Calif.)
pieces of silver. It was, however, the Son of God himself who warned us that the servant of the Lord would be opposed by those of his own household. David did not allow this opposition to derail him in his determination to vindicate the mighty Name of the Lord of Hosts. Nor must we allow either ridicule from our dear ones or love for them to stop us short of accom plishing His will lest we prove unworthy of Him. David’s decision to do exploits for God was made in site of the fact that his own brothers opposed him. Doubtless their laughter cut him deeply. The jeering suggestion that he was only fit to tend a few sheep might well have caused a seed of doubt to be sown, but he did not for one moment allow it to germinate. We, too, must learn to discern between the condemnation that grows out of the accusations of men or Satan and the conviction that grows out of the councils of God and our fellow Chris tians. What a picture this is of the false accusations thrown by the Scribes and Pharisees into the face of our Lord. Those hypocritical “ whitened sepulchers” did nothing but expose dwarfed and defiled natures in their accusa tions of Christ. Let us take heed lest our judgment of others proves to be but a reflection of the condition of our own heart. “ Saul said to David, Thou art not able . . . ” I Samuel 17:33 David’s counsellors were not limited to his brothers. King Saul was also convinced that David was neither prepared nor able to accomplish the task to which he was ready to give himself. Saul was not only a warrior of experience, but he spoke with the authority of a King. Surely it would be the part of better judgment to listen to him. How many of us would have gladly accepted Saul’s suggestion as a sane and easy way out? How much of the will of God has been frustrated in our lives simply because a “ greater-than-Saul” has whis pered reasonable words of discouragement into our ears? He assures us that we cannot do the things that we al ready know we cannot do. He is the mighty prince of the powers of darkness. But David would not accept Saul’s negative advice. He carried within him the spirit of the early Church in his bold determination to obey God rather than men. His desire to vindicate the Name of God overruled the soundest advice that he could receive even though it came from royalty. Let God be true but every man a liar. Even so, it must be in our lives. The error of Saul’s verdict in this matter stems from two things. First, Saul’s decision as to what David could or could not do. But Saul was already a defeated soul, consequently his perspective was out of focus and his judgment false. His own heart was so filled with fear that even his reason was biased and faulty. Defeatism controlled his thinking.
JULY, 1959
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