Anticipation

David Spares Saul’s Life

1After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said a to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

5Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

8Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life.12May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.

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Anticipation is expecting or predicting an outcome, waiting eagerly for something you know or are confident is going to happen.

David found out that anticipating, placing confidence in future events, gave him an unfair advantage over his enemy. It is empowerment, and carries no holiness, as holiness is found in the present moment. By anticipating his enemy, and having that advantage over his enemy, David found his conscience burdened.

Anticipation is built like a beautiful deception. When we place our faith in future events, we are empowered in the present moment and do not seek out what is holy. It is the allure of anticipation that beguiles men, acting like a temptation of power or control.

David anticipated Saul. And David had a sense of control in the situation. Saul was a lamb for slaughter, and David was a wolf bent on power. David showed mercy, which is to me a greatness that defines him. David in the end made a choice to be merciful and openly repent his actions to Saul. An impossible outcome that showed God's righteousness could come through man.

Anticipation, is like a human replacement for hope. It brings excitement, and a sense of control when we use our knowledge to serve our own will. But there is still an unknown factor in anticipating, and that is the blindness that breeds failure. Hope placed in God is hope set in the present moment and then forgotten. Hope does not build up excitement, hope is solely set on God's will which does not change.

So David hid in a cave anticipating Saul yes, but repented and in the present moment put his hope in God and did what was holy and true. And we can say that it was the fear of God that led to this act of wisdom and mercy.

People can feed off of anticipation and also control others by their anticipation. Men and women use anticipation to maintain the interests of those they wish to control by it. Anticipation is setting our minds on future events, and in this is blindness.

If we go through our day in anticipation, we are doing so to see an outcome we desire. There is no fear of God in this, and there is not seeking out his unseen qualities in the present moment where they reside. So when you find yourself excited in anticipation, remember that you are serving yourself, which makes you an enemy of the Lord. Repent. And return to the present moment so to remain in faith and the righteousness that comes through you. I will do the same.

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