David Mourns Saul

Read 1 Samuel 30 - 2 Samuel 2
 
2 Samuel 1:11-12 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.
 
SAUL persecuted and hunted David for years. Saul threw spears at David. Saul kept Jonathan, David’s best friend, from David. Saul used his troops and his resources to hunt David. David lived with the hated Philistines for 16 months to avoid Saul. And yet, David and his men mourned Saul’s death.
    To mourn is to know and express a deep grief over loss, to regret. We know about mourning the loss of a loved one or good friend. But do you mourn those who oppose God in the hope they will come to faith? Does regret touch your mind when you think of those who die without the Lord? Perhaps this is why David and his men grieved. Although their physical enemy was dead, they may have mourned for Saul’s lost opportunity to serve and glorify God. They regretted being his enemies and the lost opportunity to serve and fight with him. They mourned a wasted life.
    Of the many lessons from 1 Samuel, we might see the first lesson is this: Dedicate your life to serving the Lord’s will. We have seen barren Hannah declare in 1 Samuel 1:18 “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Samuel is born to say, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:16) David repeatedly says “your servant” to Saul in respect to Saul’s anointing. Abigail speaks, “your servant” multiple times as she turned David’s rage to peace.
    Saul, in contrast, at no time expressed such humility and gratitude toward God or Samuel, who was God’s appointed agent to anoint him. He only vainly used the LORD’s name to affirm his own purpose. To lead in God’s purpose requires a servant attitude. Jesus demonstrated that in John 13 and with his submission to the cross.
    God called Saul to lead God’s nation, so it would glorify God. Instead, Saul missed his purpose. His family and his army died with him.
    Indeed, we do mourn such lives lost to God’s call. Let us examine our own lives to declare to God, “your servant.”
 
Matthew 24:30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.”