While David was busy taking care of his father’s sheep, Samuel the prophet came to Bethlehem under the pretext of making a sacrifice to God and anointed him for future kingship. After this anointing, life became so miserable for David, that Saul his bugbear, instead of governing Israel, went about with evangelistic zeal to hunt him down (1 Samuel 18:9) like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains (1 Samuel 26: 20).

In the midst of such heated pursuits, one fine day it seemed that God Himself was handing over Saul’s life to David on a platter, when Saul and his battalion were put to deep slumber by Him (1 Sam 26:6- 21). David never heeded to the plan mooted by his motley crew to spear Saul to death, even though, circumstances popped up to indicate it was D day (departure day) for Saul. He did not rush to take advantage of this ‘kairos moment’ but graciously spared Saul’s life, refusing to lay hands on God’s anointed.

Observing David’s life until his death, we can glean that he was always willing to wait patiently for God to execute His will in his life. No wonder, God repeatedly commended him as a ‘man after His own heart’.

Patience is one of the most challenging virtues in Christianity, not forgetting that its also a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Thought to ponder -

“Patience is a very bitter plant that produces very sweet fruits”.