Holy Land Day Seven (Friday): David & Saul At En Gedi

Our band of Holy Land pilgrims will be journeying to Israel's En Gedi National Park today.

En Gedi is a beautiful and historic park with a great hike that leads you to the spring-fed David's Waterfall.  The waterfall is so named because of this story from 1 Samuel chapter 24 where a disturbed King Saul is chasing David into the wilderness near the Dead Sea.

24 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

Can I tell you that the descendants of the wild goats that are mentioned here are still roaming around En Gedi?  You can see them all over the place when you visit.  Let's continue the story, though:

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

David later waits until Saul is down the hill safely away from the spring and the cave, and he then calls out to Saul, telling him that he could have killed him, but spared his life.  Saul weeps and repents of chasing David, but he soon breaks his promises and resumes seeking to end David's life.

In this story, David shows remarkable restraint not to harm "the Lord's anointed."  He shows mercy to his enemy and even makes himself vulnerable in order to do so.  Against the advice of his men, David opens himself up for attack as he reaches out in peace to Saul.

Jesus commanded his followers to forgive those who persecuted them, to love their enemies, turn the other cheek and forgive those who wrong us.  In order to do all of these things, we have to surrender and trust that God will keep us in God's hands as we forgive.

This doesn't mean that we have to continue to allow ourselves to be abused, taken advantage of or persecuted, however.  Quite the contrary.  If you are in an abusive relationship right now---get out of it.

If you have someone in your life who constantly tears you down and diminishes you---let them go, and set both of you free. 

But in the midst of it, may you find the power to forgive even those who have wounded you deeply.  May you set them free by laying down your own weapons and seeking no vengeance or retribution.  May you find complete freedom in your forgiving.

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.