His enemy was there for the taking, delivered right into his hands, and yet David, guided by principle, refused to pounce.
What set David apart from most, and particularly many of his own men, was that he was guided by principle. He would live according to the Lord’s ways and not take the easy way out. No jury would have convicted him but David knew God would not be pleased. Even the minor infraction of cutting a piece of the robe caused David to be conscience-stricken (5).
David paid attention to the still small voice of the Lord within.
Like David I have had an impulse to do something that bends the rules set by the Lord. After takings the first few steps, acting upon the impulse, my conscience speaks up, “This is not the way of the Lord.” Do I listen?
David did. But do I?
The still small voice of the Lord is there… do I listen? The Lord is pounding this question home.
We all begin to act on impulse. The question is, ‘should we follow through’? David crept up on Saul, maybe he had thoughts of killing him. The text does not tell us of David’s internal battle as he waited and then snuck up on Saul. Whatever his intentions we know that he cut a portion of Saul’s robe… proof he could have killed him. Even this small act set off David’s conscience.
Most certainly David had listened to his conscience –the voice of the Lord –within him before. David has cultivated listening to the Lord.
“Have I?” comes the Lord’s voice within me again?
God is pounding me on this matter this morning…
Oh, Lord, forgive me when I have not listened. Make my muscles stronger when I do listen so that I become more and more attuned to You. This is my heart’s cry… I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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