Saturday, March 13, 2004

 

 

Dear Family:

 

Today the theme throughout the world seemingly demands for the people of the world to take sides on the issues which affect not only this generation but the next as well. It seems as though in this the "new world order" much of what we do and say has as much a global as local impact.

 

In the story of David we are presented with a story of a young man who was appointed by God to inherit the throne and become the next king. While David waited patiently for God to bring David's kingdom into fulfillment David had to form an army of followers just to defend himself from the existing king as well as the enemies of the kingdom. David's loyalty to King Saul never wavered. He remained loyal even though the king did not remain faithful to David and his followers.  During this time David experienced some very trying times which prepared him to better lead the people.

 

One such time was as David and his men went to support the Philistines in battle but the Princesses and Lords of the Philistines said they did not trust them and would not permit David and his army to go to battle with them. David and his army returned to the city given them by the King of the Philistines only to discover that the Amalekites had burned the city and taken their women and children captive. After a period of weeping David took four hundred men and went out to search for the Amalekites. They found a young Egyptian lying near dead in a field. After they had given him food and water they discovered that he was a servant to the Captain of the army which had burned their city.

 

1 Sam 30:13 Then David said to him, "To whom do you belong, and where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. (NKJ)

 

There are several lessons in this story. Each have so much importance to our lives and well being that it is difficult to say if one is greater or more important than the other.

 

Saul wanted His sons to be heir to His throne but God had told him that David was going to be the next king of Israel. After Samuel the prophet died, Saul got rid of the entire spiritual influence in the land. He ridded the country of those who were supposed to be able to communicate with God and the spirits. He thought somehow he would be able to change the future by eliminating those who represented God or brought the message of God to the people. He thought he could become god and determine who would be the next king. He thought if he could destroy David and isolate the people from God's word that he would be in control of the outcome regardless of the effect it had on everyone else. Only what he wanted mattered. Only his selfish desires were important. Only his feelings counted; the end justified the means. His selfishness resulted in the kingdom being split in two. He and his sons were destroyed, the people were taken captive and the kingdom was almost destroyed. The accomplishments of he and his sons were not remembered in the history of the children of Israel, only the harm he brought to the people and his futile attempt to destroy David. In an age of "how to," his life is a perfect example of "how not to."  Just about any subject you choose, following his example is one that will surely fail. He failed as husband, father, friend, leader and king. Everyone around him was affected by his self-centeredness. Only when Saul saw the Philistines coming to overthrow him did he pray to God. When God refused to answer him he went to a medium and discovered that it was too late, he was doomed.

 

The example David displayed throughout the period was totally the opposite. David knew he was to be the heir of the throne but never spoke spitefully about the king. He remained loyal to the king and defended him. On several occasions David had the opportunity to kill or capture Saul but refused to rise up against him. David told his men not to harm the king in anyway for the king was God's anointed. Even though David had done nothing to Saul, he continually asked Saul to forgive him. David asked if he had done anything to offend Saul but Saul continued to seek to kill David. Even though David had every right to demand apologies from Saul, he never did. David sought continually to restore the relationship but Saul would not accept it. His stubborn self-centeredness destroyed his sons, himself and his reign. His actions brought years of hardship and suffering to the entire kingdom. Even after his death David showed respect to Saul and his sons by gathering up their bones and burying them in a place of honor.  David showed respect simply because Saul was King. He did not have to like him or love him but he did have to respect him.

 

As we go through life it is our responsibility to come down off our thrones and seek reconciliation in broken relationships. When Christ was on the cross he said, "Father forgive them." They should have been begging for forgiveness but even today the descendents of those present that day are still refusing to ask Christ for his forgiveness. Who am I that I should say, "I've been wronged and my feelings are more important than Christ's were on that day and I do not have to say forgive them?" They owe me, I'm better than they are, I'm better than Christ, I matter more, I, I, I!  Jesus said, "if you don't forgive them I can't forgive you." Peter said, if you don't forgive them you do not have the love of Christ in you.  You don't have to love or like your neighbor but you do have to respect the fact that Christ went to the cross for them just as he did for you. When the disciples came to Jesus and said "I want to be the greatest in your kingdom, I want to sit by you," Jesus said, to be the greatest you must be the least. Simply put, you must put others before yourself, you must consider other's feelings more important than your own. Some people like Saul never learn this lesson and go to the grave wrapped up in themselves. Here lies ole what's his name, selfish, self-centered, unlovely, unforgiving ole what's his name alone with himself in this grave.

 

There are some basic rules for respect in the family. You don't have to love your parents, you don't have to like your parents but you do have to respect them because God made them your parents. Your parents' blood is in you and your children's veins. If you are a member of a family, and we all are, it doesn't matter what position you hold in that family, you don't have to like or love them but you do have to respect them. You have to show them the same respect you expect from them.

 

David said to the young boy, "to whom do you belong and where are you from".  This is such a far reaching question I'm not sure there are enough days in this life to exhaust the thought. "I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. (NKJ)". Egypt represented a pagan country to the children of Israel. It represented a place of bondage and slavery. God had delivered the children of Israel from the bondage of the Pharaoh where they had been slaves for years. The Amalekites were a constant foe of the children of Israel and were the descendents of Esau. Here is a young man who was a slave to a pagan master in a pagan country. Spiritually this represents a man without God serving satan and sin. The country represents the life of sin and bondage to sin.  We are born into this world with the bondage of sin a part of our nature. No one has to teach us to lie. No one has to teach us to cheat, hate, hurt others. No one teaches us to be jealous and selfish; we are born with these traits. We refer to it as being born of the flesh because we are born with the desire for the things of this world, the flesh.

 

Even though all these things were against this young man, David showed compassion to him. David cared for his sickness and his hunger even though this young man was one of the worst of his enemies. David was King in the kingdom of the Children of the most, high God and demonstrated it.

 

To whom do you belong and where are you from?

 

Christ said love your enemies. He did not say we are to love their actions or deeds or their gods. He did say we are to forgive their actions and deeds. He did say show them "To whom you belong."  Show them the God of the Christian. Show them why He is unique and how He has made you unique.  To whom do you belong and where are you from?

 

Love ya,

 

Dad