Saturday, May 13
Don’t take matters into your own hands
Scripture: 1 Samuel 25-26, Psalm 56, Mark 13
1 Samuel 25:31 (Abigail to David) “Your conscience will not be overwhelmed with guilt for having poured out innocent blood and for having taken matters into your own hands. When the Lord has granted my lord success, please remember your servant.”
1 Samuel 25:33 (David to Abigail) “Praised be your good judgment! May you yourself be rewarded for having prevented me this day from shedding blood and taking matters into my own hands!”
1 Samuel 26:10–11 David went on to say, “As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will strike him down. Either his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 11 But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here!”
Observation
A recurring lesson in these two stories is to trust God and not take matters into your own hands.
Nabal insulted David and David overreacted and wanted to kill Nabal and all his men. Abigail intervened and talked David down, sparing him from shedding innocent blood and “taking matters into my own hands.”
In the second story, David has an opportunity to strike down Saul in his sleep. King Saul was pursuing David and his men, trying to kill him. David refused to lift his hand “against the Lord’s anointed.” He told Abishai that the Lord would handle it. This is the second time that David had an opportunity to kill his adversary and refused to take matters into his own hands.
Application
I have faced some situations recently where I have wanted to take matters into my own hands. I’ve wanted to give a speech to someone that I’ve thought about in the middle of the night. I’ve wanted to interfere and give someone a piece of my mind that I can’t afford to lose!
Each time, the Lord has reminded me that inserting myself, taking matters into my own hands would be counter-productive. I need to trust the Lord. He is at work. He cares for everyone involved and wants the best for each one. He alone sees all and knows all and can make the proper judgment.
These stories reminded me that God is at work and I need to trust Him and not take matters into my own hands.
Prayer: Lord I love You. And I give You these situations, these people who I love, and trust You to work all things out for good. Help me to trust and not take matters into my own hands. I’m a major over-reactor—help me to under-react and trust You.