When authority is the problem

I've been reading 1 Samuel this past week, and have been reminded that David, whose life was threatened by Saul for a number of years, was given 2 opportunities to kill Saul. Once, in the cave, urged on by his men, Saul was at his mercy, but David chose just to cut off a portion of Saul's robe. On another occasion David crept past Saul's guards into his camp at night, taking Saul's spear and water jug to demonstrate that he had been close enough to Saul to kill him.

Why didn't he kill him? After all, life would have been so much easier with Saul out of the way. And you would be hard pressed to argue that Saul didn't deserve it.

The key is that David knew that God had placed Saul in that position (Saul was God's anointed king) and therefore it wasn't David's responsibility to remove Saul to enable David's own protection or promotion. If God wanted David to move from being king-in-waiting to being king, then God would have to do it.

Sometimes, like David must have wished, I'd like to accelerate my progress in one walk of life, or another. Sometimes I know of friends who are working for a supervisor or boss whose influence is disruptive or damaging. Other times there is that job you'd really like but it's "dead men's shoes", in other words you can't get that position until another person moves on.

David is a great lesson for us. Whereas some people might be tempted to betray a boss, indulge in a bit of character assassination, or in another way actively participate in their removal, our response should be, with God's help, to do the best we can in the circumstances, and trust Him to take care of the problem.

Romans 13, verses 1 & 2:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (NIV)

For David to have slaughtered Saul would have been presumptuous. Like saying, "God, I know best." Often God will do more in our lives helping us work through difficulty that by us short-cutting that difficulty and removing someone in authority over us.

And when God is ready, the door will be opened for you.

Guarding against idolatry

This week the challenge from Exodus 21-24 was "no other gods... no idols".

The two questions that have got me thinking are:
"What do you think about when your mind in in neutral?"
"What do you do during your idle moments?" (No pun intended?)

An objective observer of my own life over the past week would conclude that ______ is my god.

I'm still thinking about this. What about you?

Sovereignty

Reading in Genesis this week. Was reminded of the planning and control of God. Through all of his circumstances God was preparing Joseph for the role of saving his family. Not a bad reminder that even in the difficult circumstances there is a God at work.