I Samuel 24:8
‘Afterward, however, David got up and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.’
David had been strongly pressured by his men to kill Saul. It had appeared the Lord delivered him into his hands. David tested this and approached Saul in the cave and cut a piece of his robe. It felt wrong so he retreated. He rebuked his men for this pressure. Today's passage has him making it right. He knows Saul's intentions were evil and self serving. But David's weren't. He wants to be right with the king and with God.
David feared God. He was raised in a God fearing home. He knew that half of the commandments dealt with being right with one's neighbor, but the first ones were about being right with God. To do so, one must be right with others. David is practicing that here.
To be right with God and others, some actions must be taken. Sometimes it's a little uncomfortable. Sometimes a little embarrassing. In today's passage David put his life at risk as well as the lives of those that followed him. But this was David. He did bold things. Some may have left from following him. He didn't take the opportunity to kill Saul and he exposed himself, thus exposing everyone here. This was David.
He was willing to take risks to be right with God and others. Bold steps were an option. This reminds me of the risk some take to receive Christ. They've been challenged to raise their hands and possibly come forward at a service. Bold steps.
One may receive Christ in the quietness of one's heart, but it won't be long until something bold is required. I'm reminded of Joshua challenging the people, "Choose this day whom you will serve...As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord", (Joshua 24:15). We may be prompted to share our faith or share our story. We have to muster up courage.
How do we know what to do? The bible is God's Word which tells us His will. Knowing it also informs our consciences which even if we wouldn't choose an option, sometimes our consciences will choose for us. Now our consciences aren't God and can be wrong. This is challenging as our consciences are usually loud when we don't follow them. I John 3:20 says, "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things."
Blind obedience isn't the way. We are to "test all things and hold fast to that which is good", (I Thessalonians 5:21). If we feel our consciences prompting us one way, we test it. If it's against scripture, don't do it. If it's not in scripture, we pray about it. Ask, "Lord if You're not in this, would You close the door." Is it inline with grace? Yes, this is subjective, but a good question.
Lord, give us courage to follow You. We want to be on Your side.