“Saul got word of the whereabouts of David and his men. He was sitting under the big oak on the hill at Gibeah at the time, spear in hand, holding court surrounded by his officials. He said, “Listen here, you Benjaminites! Don’t think for a minute that you have any future with the son of Jesse! Do you think he’s going to hand over choice land, give you all influential jobs? Think again. Here you are, conspiring against me, whispering behind my back—not one of you is man enough to tell me that my own son is making deals with the son of Jesse, not one of you who cares enough to tell me that my son has taken the side of this, this …outlaw!” (I Samuel 22:6-8 The Message Bible)
This Saturday morning I am writing about mad men, and I am using “mad men” in a general sense, making it applicable to both men and women, or let’s just say, applicable to all mankind in general, especially the youth and young adults who show they have lost their minds, gone mad, and have turned to violence because they are agitated or angry about something to the effect that they loss their minds, either temporarily or long-term. Sometimes the “something” is nothing really, in reality.
Saul gives us an example of mad men, one that we cannot just describe quickly. You really need to look at his life in the book of I Samuel. However, we will comment on some of what you will find in the verses above. Saul is sitting under a big oak tree with a weapon in his hand. In his case a spear. You can only imagine what he would be holding today. As you can tell from what you read above, Saul is mad.
What caused him to be so mad? Was it merely the rise of David? Was it his jealousy of David? Was it the action of his son Jonathan who had befriended David? Was it his lack of understanding that the Lord wants full obedience and not partial obedience? Did he want to show he was powerful, still? Did he think he could handle important things without God on his side? Your answer to these questions probably was “Yes.” But lets look a little bit closer.
Back in I Samuel 15, a chapter you will have to read on your own, you will find these words spoken by Samuel to King Saul in verse 26: “But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return to you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” Men, again speaking in general, in reference to mankind; men who disobey God, find themselves rejected by God. Such men are rejected because they have decided to lead themselves instead of letting the Lord direct their paths. Such men have not figured it out, that you can’t have it your way versus God’s way, and all will be fine in life. Separation from God can occur, and such separation will lead to a state of madness and acts that end up destroying the life of others in some form or fashion, including the destroying their own lives. Other
As you will read the story of Saul, you will understand I am, telling you the truth. If we want to keep from being mad to the point that it keeps escalating to a point where mad is not escapable, we need to stay with God. I’ll say it again, “Stay with God!
We need to inquire of God and insist inwardly that we will do our best to please God with our obedience. I have to inject this truth, as it relates to current times. There are too many people, male and female, sitting around, armed with contemporary weapons, just like Saul was sitting under the big oak tree with a spear in his hand; too many people that are armed and have lost their mind because they have lost their relationship with God. This may seem like a warranted editorial, but it is meant to be edifying.
Listen, tell everyone in your house that everyone in your home needs to have a good relationship with God if they don’t want to be one of the “mad men.” Tell them they do not need to be sitting around anywhere else without God, but they need to especially be sitting around, in the special presence of God in His sanctuary. It’s not too late for them to get right with God, starting right now! It’s not to late, while they are in the land of the living, to have a change of heart! It’s not too late to be reminded to forget that which lies behind, that which festers into madness. It’s not too late to depend on God to arm them with wisdom to keep them from giving into Satan’s radical misbeliefs, the secular world’s way of remedying things, or the seduction of their own fleshly influences. It’s not to late to adhere to this prescription for preventing madness: Get right with God and do it now!
One more comment about mad men in general. You see, they forget that God looks at the heart and not the stature of a man. They fail to see that it is not about how hard one can act, but rather how a heart that is softly touched by the Lord will result in not hardly failing God.
God is not interested in how others look at you, but God looks at the heart. God does not care that you command a host of people or let’s say, a gang of people. God has expectations for you, whether you or the man of the house, the woman of the house, or a dependent living in the house. Keep in mind now, God looks at the heart. God does not look at your toughness or your ability, for your ability and your potential are nothing if your heart is not right. People need to know, they can keep from being “mad men” if they get their heart right by getting right with God…for real! How do you get it right? Become His child, act as your Heavenly Father instructs you, pray always, fight impulsive behavior, and constantly look to the hills from which commeth our help. Get right with God!
Long meditation this Saturday? Yes, but you have time on Saturday! Use it wisely and respond accordingly and share this appropriately with somebody, responsibly as an ambassador of the Prince of Peace. Have a good day! Enjoy worship tomorrow! Wait a minute! Before you dismiss this meditation, note that any one of us can become one of the “mad men,” driven by circumstances in our lives. Resist! Refrain! Refuse to be one of them. Be blessed!
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King