Saul and David: 1 Samuel 22:3-5
God desires a repentant heart. Abraham was not perfect, yet God chose him. Jacob had his issues, yet God still worked through him. Moses had flaws, yet God came to him. God doesn’t look for the perfect leader; he looks for the leader willing to recover from moments of weakness.
God prosper David by uniting Saul’s outcasts around him. However, David misses the sign and heads to Moab. David’s primary reason for going to Moab was to protect his parents, who probably weren’t as appreciative about living in the wilderness as young warriors. David’s grandmother, Ruth, was a Moabite. Thus, this trip is a homecoming, explaining why David easily secured safety for his parents.
The problem, though, is David’s attempt to solve his own problems and failing to trust God. David went among the Philistines; it didn’t work out. He returned to the Hebrew land and God prospered him. Now he’s of into Moab, where God sends a prophet to his side to tell him to get back into Judah.
We see the difference between David and Saul. David reacts, concerned for his life. It isn’t like God told David to remain in Judah prior to sending Gad. Therefore, David isn’t being disobedient to God. David is not directly opposing God’s dictates. David is simply trying to survive and in doing so he appears to forget to seek God’s counsel.
Saul, on the other hand, was told directly by Samuel to eliminate the Amalekites. Saul went off the battle, but he saved the best of their civilization for himself. Saul directly opposed God.
This is a significant distinction to draw. God rejected Saul because Saul intentionally acted in opposition to God’s command. Saul chose his own way of thinking rather than following God. God set a course of action before Saul, but Saul chose a different path.
David is not directly contradicting God’s design. God didn’t tell David His plan, so David must feel his way through life. When Gad comes to David and directs him to return to Judah, David obeys. When David hears from the Lord, David quickly responds. David’s issue isn’t flagrant disobedience; David’s issue is leaning upon his own understanding. When David needs to decide, especially under stress, David fails to consult God.
While David may forgets to consult God and therefore makes mistakes, when confronted with his mistakes, David repents and realigns himself with God. This is why David can have a life filled with so many errors yet still be called a man after God’s own heart. God doesn’t always come to us and tell us the correct path. Sometimes we make bad decisions as we feel our way through life.
In those moments, God looks for repentance. When we exercise our free will and do something wrong, God waits to see if we repent and correct our course or if we celebrate our victory and continue to veer away from Him. God desires a repentant heart.
