April 22nd, 2026
Twice while on the run from Saul, David found himself in a position where he could very easily have taken Saul’s life, immediately setting himself up to step into the role as King.
Verse 5 in this chapter tells us that David’s conscience convicted him, and despite the immense freedom killing Saul would bring, he restrained both himself and his men and chose to trust in God’s providential timing.
Somehow, he even has the strength to face Saul after the fact, boldly proclaiming that “God is my advocate, he will rescue me from your power” (vs 15). David’s faith in God’s plan in this moment is not unlike the faith of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac. Both men chose to trust God when it would have been far easier to take matters into their own hands and make decisions based on human wisdom.
Furthermore, in the case of David, faith in God and his love for all people (he refers to Saul as God’s anointed one, despite his persecution), leads David to extend mercy to his greatest enemy, leaving judgment in the hands of God as well.
Faith like David is faith enough to have mercy even when it’s inconvenient.
What might mercy and trust in God’s plan look like for you today?
