Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4 NLT http://bible.com/116/jas.1.2-4.NLT
Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment that was welcomed by the people and Saul’s officers alike.
When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals.This was their song:
“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”
This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!”So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.
The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand,and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice.
Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul.Finally, Saul sent him away and appointed him commander over 1,000 men, and David faithfully led his troops into battle.
David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him.When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him.But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.
One day Saul said to David, “I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “I’ll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself.”
my focus was on the verse 12
Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul.
hmmmm.
it got me thinking.
somehow, sin works like a snowball effect.
in Saul’s story before this chapter, he disobeyed God.
so he acknowledges that he is away from God’s will. but yet instead of coming back to God, he sins even more.
he turns away from God.
getting jealous. he even plotted to get rid of David.
if we don’t face God and repent, things will get worse.
we will grow deeper and deeper into our sin.
it will snowball out of control.
oh. that was a reminder for myself.
here’s an example.
Ted Bundy, Interview by Dr. James Dobson in 1989 Before Execution
There is hope. We can be fixed. 