1 Samuel 26:1-25


Our actions reveal what is in our heart.  Saul has a hart that is full of fear and hatred so he acts on this condition of his heart by chasing after David in an attempt to take his life.  David’s heart is full of confidence and loyalty so he refuses to take matters into his own hands and take Saul’s life.  There is a clear contrast between these two men and it becomes more and more obvious why God rejected Saul and why David is called a man after God’s own heart.  We must faithfully and carefully examine our actions so that we will be aware of the condition of our heart.

SAUL SEEKS DAVID’S LIFE: Just recently Saul had been chasing David with three thousand men, but when David refused to kill Saul in the cave; Saul admitted that he was wrong and left David alone.  This was a change of mind for Saul, but this chapter reveals to us that Saul’s heart had not changed.  He is still driven by his lust for power and his fear of David instead of a desire to please God and serve his people.  This time he comes out with three hundred men, perhaps thinking that a smaller group would be able to move faster and trap David in some way.  What he may not have realized was that there were now over six hundred men with David.  Saul is simply being foolish and hard hearted.  There is no way that we can change our hearts.  We are who we are and will end up acting upon the sinful desires that are a part of our basic Character.  However, there is a God if heaven who specializes in changing hearts.  He can transform our desires and character and sent Christ and the Holy Spirit to accomplish that task.  We must learn to trust God to transform us and not trust in our own abilities. 

DAVID SPARES SAUL'S LIFE: We can also see very clearly that David’s heart is unchanged.  Once again, David has a prime opportunity to kill Saul in his sleep.  Every ounce of human logic tells us that David had every right to respond to Saul’s act of war against David by taking Saul’s life.  David has made it clear that he will leave Saul in God’s hands and will do no harm to him.  David has surrendered his heart to God and so grace and mercy flow out of David’s life.  If we want to be like God; we must surrender our hearts to God so that He can perform his transforming powers.  It is also interesting to see that David is tested in the same exact way two times.  Just because we pass a test, does not mean that we are exempt from temptation in this same area in the future.  We must be consistent in resisting the variety of temptations that we will repeatedly face.  When David confronts Saul’s “body guard” and reveals that he had yet another chance to kill Saul; regret once again flow from Saul’s lips and he promises to leave David alone.  However, it is not Saul’s lips that need to be transformed.  What Saul needs is the same thing that all of us need: a heart transplant from God.

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