There are many leadership lessons and just good life lessons in this reading, but the one that spoke to my heart most of all, as it so often has in the past is the story of Saul in the cave and David refusing to end his life.

David knew the moment Saul died that he would be crowned king of Israel. He knew that he would no longer have to be a nomad, running from shadow to shadow to spare his own life. Yet David would not move ahead of God. This is perhaps one of the hardest disciplines in all of life and leadership, to know what the inevitable outcome of a situation is and yet have the patience to allow God to bring about that outcome in HIS time.

David’s restraint would have been impressive even if he didn’t know he was to be king, simply the self-control to not destroy his enemy and bring freedom to his life, but that he did so knowing there was great reward on the other side and that reward was God’s ultimate will, this is truly a miracle only achieved through a consecrated heart.

David again showed the same patience of waiting on the Lord in the story of Nabal and Abigail. This time though he demonstrated another gift of leadership, he was not going to show that patience, but he was willing to receive counsel. He didn’t care that the counsel came from a woman or from an unknown source, potentially even a biased source (his enemies wife), what mattered to him was the counsel. He recognized the counsel was right and true and that was enough to heed it.

Both great lessons that eventually led to God’s willing being accomplished in God’s time!

Tomorrow’s Reading: Psalms 42-44