Divine opportunity … or sinful temptation?
by Sal Huckel
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‘The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed’ (1 Samuel 26:23).
Have you ever stopped yourself from acting on an opportunity to right a wrong or seek justice – and committed it to the Lord for his timing instead? Sometimes we can even see that it was a trap, or we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to let the Lord do his work.
In this passage, we see David being pursued by Saul, who in his jealousy is trying to assassinate David. David has already had one opportunity to kill Saul while he slept, and here he is presented with another. Indeed, his companion Abishai thinks that this is a divine opportunity presented for David to take his victory.
Perhaps it does look as though this is a divine opportunity. David knows that Saul has been disobedient to God and has lost the Lord’s blessing. He knows that he will be king after Saul. Can he progress this succession to the throne now? No. He trusts Saul to God’s justice, which will come in the Lord’s perfect timing.
We can learn from David and follow his example by not taking matters into our own hands when we are waiting on the Lord’s timing for deliverance and justice – perhaps as we wait for him to act right now in these uncertain times. What looked to Abishai as a divine opportunity was actually a moment of temptation to force the hand of God instead of trusting in his timing.
Is this a time for us to trust the Lord’s anointed? Our political leaders and pastors? Are we trusting them, or are we seizing opportunities to try to force their hands in reversing restrictions, or rushing our fellowship back to the ‘normal’ we think it needs to be?
Lord, waiting on your timing can be so hard, especially in times of trial. Help us to follow David’s example and to discern every opportunity we have to take matters into our own hands. Give us faith and patience to wait on you. Amen.
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