Today I read 1 Samuel 23 where David is still fleeing Saul. It's sad because I don't think Saul has a grateful bone in his body at this point. He hears that David saved one of the cities from the Philistines and instead of being grateful that his people are safe, he rejoices because David is now trapped and will fall into his hand. Saul almost seems incapable of rejoicing in the good anymore.
What kind of a man is that? What is it like to be so obsessed that you lose sight of everything else? To be so consumed with hatred like that? Funnily enough, I watched a movie based on the novel "Moby Dick" last night and it reminds me of Captain Ahab. Ahab was so consumed with hatred of Moby Dick, or the white dragon in this version, that nothing else mattered to him. He lied to his crew, he killed those who did not share his vision, and in the end it destroyed him. His own obsession was his downfall. At least in the version last night, if he had not been so consumed with hate he could have been a very rich man and lived comfortably for the rest of his life, but he threw it all away for his hatred.
How much did Saul throw away for his hatred? Did he stop enjoying life because of his obsession with killing David? I am almost positive that he did. I don't think someone that is that obsessed with something can take pleasure in almost anything. I think they are so consumed that if it isn't their obsession then they take no pleasure in it, which is not how God wants us to live our lives. Heavenly Father has told us that we are meant to have joy in this life. True it needs to be joy in the proper way, but joy nonetheless. We need to find joy and happiness in this life and take true pleasure in it. At least that is how I view it and what I think. Until tomorrow.
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