“Thus Saul saw and knew that the
Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; and Saul was
still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually.”
1 Samuel 18:28-29
One wonder’s why Saul became David’s
enemy. David would have lovingly served Saul and did all he could to be a
blessing to him and God’s people. Saul didn’t want David’s loyalty and love. He
felt threatened when he saw and knew that the Lord was with David. Saul feared
for his own future instead. He didn’t trust his future to the Lord. He took
matters into his own hand. He wanted to do all he could to get rid of his
threat, his enemy, David. Saul cast his spear at David. He said “I will pin
David to the wall!” (1 Samuel 18:11). David escaped twice. Because of Saul’s
wrong heart, he had a wrong spirit at work in him. It says in 1 Samuel 19:9-10 “Now
the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with
his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul
sought to pin David to the wall with the spear [again], but he slipped away
from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and
escaped that night.” Saul gave David a position of authority by making him a
captain over a thousand. He was hoping that David would fail to lead wisely and
thus be discredited. This backfired. For 1 Samuel 18:14-15 tells us that “David
behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul
saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him.” David was to marry Saul’s
daughter, Michal. Saul required that David kill one hundred Philistines before
he would give him her hand in marriage. Saul was hoping that David would die
while he was fighting the Philistines. This did not happen, for God was with
David blessing all his efforts. Then Saul pursued David continually for more
than a decade. David had to live in exile moving from hiding place to hiding
place. Anyone who helped David was ordered to be murdered. He even threw a
spear at his own son Jonathan when he felt that Jonathan’s loyalty and love was
with David. Sometimes people become our enemy because God is with us. They could
have our love and friendship, but they don’t want it. We are a threat to them.
They don’t like what we stand for. They are looking out for themselves and they
think you interfere with their future. This is hard for us to understand and
comprehend, but this is so. Just remember though that when this happens it’s
not just you that they hate. It is the God in you that they hate. Jesus said in
Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” It goes on to say in Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed
are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your
reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
John 15:18 says “If the world hates, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you.” It goes on to say in John 15:19-21 “If you were of the world, the world
would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to
you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they
will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours also.
But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do
not know Him who sent me.” If you read on it says that people hated Jesus
without cause (John 15:25). In John 17:14 Jesus prays “I have given them Your
word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I
am not of the world.” In Romans 1:30 mentions some people that are “haters of
God.” The chances are that these very same people that hate God will hate you.
They don’t like what you stand for, they also don’t like what you live for. Be
encouraged today. God’s Word tells us that you are blessed! His Word tells you
that great is your reward in Heaven! His Word also gives you encouragement and
hope for it tells you that will receive a heavenly crown if you are faithful. 2
Tim 4:8 says “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not to me
only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” James 1:12 says “Blessed is
the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Father, we thank You for Your love and Your faithfulness.
We understand that not everyone is going to love us. We are not of this world.
We are Yours. We are set apart for You. Help us to walk with You. Help us to
keep our focus. Help us to be strong in the Lord and the power of Your might.
May we wear the full armor of God and be able to stand. In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Kimberly Lenz, Care
Ministry Coordinator
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