Flowing with Reverence

     As we climbed the hillside to reach this lower waterfall (pictured below), my mind wandered to David running for his life from King Saul in these same mountains, stopping at this same pool to drink deeply, and splash his face with the cool water. But despite his fear of being speared by Saul, he chose to spare Saul's life out of a greater fear of God. 

     In Hebrew, "fear" can mean both "flowing" or "reverence." It was interesting to me that David's reverence for God flowed from him in the cave in En Gedi. He could have easily reach out and smote Saul, but he knew it was not his place to lay a hand on God's chosen king. 

     To fear God is to reverence Him and to show respect to those He puts into authority over us. To trust that even a boss that "throws spears" at us, can still be God's chosen one in our lives. Ask yourself what lesson God may be trying to teach you in this situation. I've learn a lot of humility in situations where I went against those God put in authority over me.  Trust me, it's always best to trust in the Lord and let vengeance be Thine.

  1 Samuel 24 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” ² So 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.

³ He 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. ⁴ The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said 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.

⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. ⁶ He 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.” ⁷ With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.