When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love…I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. John 15:10-11 (NLT)
The people of Israel booted out the aging prophet, Samuel and he anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. Very early in his reign, Saul failed the Lord’s test of obedience, and subsequently the Lord rejected him as king over Israel (1 Sam 15:26). The Lord then instructed Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Sam 16:1). After seven of Jesse’s sons were rejected by the Lord, the youngest was called from tending the sheep. And the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” So Samuel took the oil and anointed him, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power (16:13).
Most bible scholars believe David was between ten and fifteen years old when Samuel anointed him. But he did not become king until he was thirty years old (2 Sam 5:4). Within those years, David enters the service of King Saul, kills Goliath, marries Saul’s daughter, and befriends Saul’s son Jonathan. But instead of being welcomed into the family with loving arms, the scripture tells us that “Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him and remained his enemy the rest of his days” (1 Sam 18:28-29). And that is when the chase began. Saul was determined to kill David, and for years David ran from one place to another. At least on two separate occasions, David could have turned the tables, destroyed Saul, and taken his rightful place as king, but he didn’t.
On one such occasion, Saul entered a cave to relieve himself, and unbeknownst to him, David and his men were hiding in the back of the cave. David cuts off a corner of his hem to prove he could have killed him. When Saul exits the cave, David shouts to him, holding the hem. Another time, Saul is sleeping at the camp with his spear and water jug by his head. Instead of killing him, David took the spear and the water jug to once again prove he spared Saul’s life. David’s companion in crime declared that the Lord had delivered Saul into his hands and chastised him for not killing him. But David rebuked him, reminding him that the Lord had forbidden him to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed (1 Sam 26:11). David’s faithfulness and allowing God’s plan and path to play out in His way is admirable and sets the example for us. How often has the Lord given us a definitive direction, and when opportunities present, we waffle or move forward in our own path?
As I pack boxes and prepare for our upcoming move, I can recall questioning God’s call for us to move to North Carolina many times. In the two years since we bought our new home, many things have changed, and I ashamedly tried to use those instances to justify not walking in obedience to God’s call. Each time, I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit calling me to repentance and acceptance to follow the path He has chosen for us. Our obedience, even if it is painful, inexplicably releases Christ’s joy in us. Now with joyful expectation, I’m looking forward to my new home and the service God has prepared for us. And when people ask me why we are moving to North Carolina, my joyful answer is that God told us to! And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The picture is of our soon to be North Carolina home.