"The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea - as one hunts a partridge in the mountains." (1 Samuel 26:20 NIV)
Saul was still hunting David. Consider it: the king of Israel camping out in the desert in years-long pursuit of an innocent and loyal subject. It’s non-sensical. Kings don’t come after fleas. But Saul had adopted a wrong idea about David and he could not put it out of his mind despite it’s inaccuracy.
David wasn’t a threat to the Kingdom, he was not a usurper as Saul had supposed. David was actually Saul’s biggest supporter. Despite David’s proven loyalty, Saul had become threatened by the young man. David was intelligent, talented and able-bodied and he offered his gifts freely to the crown, but King Saul was ungrateful and intimidated. He was convinced that David was gunning for his job. Ironically, Saul all but abandoned his throne to chase the young man across the country.
I looked it up this morning: Saul spent eight years in active pursuit of David. And far more in straight-up jealousy. If we consider the span between David’s encounter with Goliath and King Saul’s death, we discover twenty-five years of national leadership squandered in envy and suspicion. Saul got a wrong idea about David and spent several decades nursing a non-existent grudge. The thing is, Saul served as king for forty-two years in all and he forfeited more than half of them on an imaginary adversary.
This smacks of enemy tactics to me. Satan doesn’t need to need to disarm us if he can just distract us. He would love nothing more than for us to spend our lives chasing down phantom foes, forfeiting our time and talents on things that don’t matter to the Kingdom one bit.
I keep coming back around to my empty nest and the opportunity we possess. One devotional I’m reading calls it ‘our encore years’. Because we began our family so early, Rob and I get a long encore. It can be a little intimidating; stepping into this wide open space and wondering what to do next. We can’t afford to forget that God has a plan for these years, too.
I don’t want to waste our encore running after illusions or being jealous of the assets of others. I can look at Saul and see how that didn’t end well. Saul was king: he had distinct duties he outright neglected due to his own emotional dis-health. In fact, his fascination with David drove him to madness. What a warning this issues to us!
Like Saul, we have a specific assignment and limited time to accomplish it. We can waste our opportunity by looking to the right and to the left, assessing our neighbors and spending our energy on things that don’t matter. Or we can put our ear to the heart of God and fully invest ourselves in the mission He’s given us.
We can be sure of something: Saul died a miserable man. He never quite caught up with his delusions and he misspent decades in pursuit. Setting our sights on the Lord will yield an entirely different outcome. We will be satisfied in Him. Our limited days will possess purpose. And focused living in this realm will give way to great joy in the next one. Our eternity is shaped by the choices we make today.
“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days, let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth, the span of my years is as nothing before You. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.” (Psalm 39:4-5 NIV)
"Teach us to number or days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12 NIV)
"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV)
Lord, let us not live as Saul, chasing our fears through the wilderness when we were created to lead with love and purpose. May we realize how brief our opportunity truly is. Let us instead live in laser focus, intent on Your instructions. Help us invest all we posses on divine directive. Amen.