David

May 18

1 Samuel 26:1-12, 17-21

While the king slept

Some men came to Saul and told him that David was hiding in the desert. So Saul went out with three thousand of his best soldiers to track David down.

David and the men with him were hiding in a cave. That night, David asked one of his men to go with him to Saul’s camp. So David and Abishai crept into the camp where Saul and his soldiers were sleeping. Abishai said to David, “God has put the enemy in your power. Let me kill him.”

But David said, “No! God has made him king. It is not right for us to take his life. But let’s take his water jug and his spear and get out of here.”

They left the camp without waking a single soldier. Then David crossed to the other side of the valley and shouted to Saul’s commander, “Abner! Aren’t you the greatest man in Israel? Why did you not protect your master, the king? Look around you. Where is the king’s shield and where is his water jug?”

When Saul heard that it was David, he was ashamed of what he was doing. “I have done wrong,” he said. “I will never harm you again because you have spared my life.” So David went on his way and Saul returned home.

Should I respect ungodly leaders?

Imagine if there were no traffic officers to stop people who ignore the rules of the road, or imagine if there weren’t any rules at all. People would drive on the wrong side of the road and race through intersections, not caring for the safety of others.

If a traffic officer does not believe in God it does not give us the right to disobey or ignore him. Similarly, our parents, teachers, and everyone else who keeps order in our country should be obeyed and respected—whether they believe in God or not.

Verse for today

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. Hebrews 13:17