God Has Ordained Every Human Person With Purpose

Synopsis     1Sam 24;3-12     10/23/2018

Once again, the Philistines had invaded Israel. Saul disengaged his pursuit of David in order to repel the Philistine invasion. Once this was complete, Saul brought three thousand soldiers back into Judah to capture David and his men.

While searching for David in the desert near Engedi, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. However, he was not aware that the cave he chose was actually David’s hiding place.

So, Saul went into the cave alone. Recognizing that God had delivered Saul into David’s hand, his men advised him to kill Saul. But David merely crept close and cutoff a piece of material from Saul’s robe as evidence that he could have easily killed the king.

Saul left the cave after he was finished. And then, David emerged behind him. He spoke to Saul. He explained what happened. David described how he chose to spare Saul his life. He wanted Saul to understand that it had never been his intention to kill him.

David Would Not Harm The Lord’s Anointed

David refused to injure any person that had been ordained and anointed king. And even though they were enemies, Saul was this ordained person. He was the anointed King of Israel. David understood that God would punish anyone who violated His purpose for a specially ordained human being.

God Has Ordained Every Person With Purpose

God created me in His image. And in the same way, He created you. And not just you. He created every human being who has ever been conceived in His image.

Now we know that God is efficient and purposeful. This is a fundamental Christian claim. Because of this, I know that am vested with dignity. God made me. And He made me for a reason. And these are among the central claims of our faith.

And not just me. God made everyone in this same way.

But sometimes I don’t see it.

The thing is, I know my own sins. And I know my own failings. And this knowledge makes me feel less than dignified. In fact, it sometimes makes me feel dirty and tainted and worthless. And because of this, my tendency is to think that most people are like me. So, I’m naturally tempted to think that most people are dirty, tainted and worthless.

God has challenged my feelings with His word. And if I come to terms with what He has said, then things begin to change. If I let His claims about my creation work on my mind, my emotions begin to fall in line. And I come slowly to believe that I have purpose. I realize my life means something.

And then I naturally begin to see that everyone is made in a similar way. And then I begin to find the freedom to see in the other, what David discovered in Saul. I find the Lord’s anointed.

And so when we meet, I pray I will see in you the anointing of God.

“God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female, he created them.” Gen 1:27