See How the Mighty have Fallen

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Our scripture today gave us a eulogy composed by David following the death of King Saul and his son (David’s best friend) Jonathan. Although Saul had treated David disgracefully David recalls all that was best about Saul, alongside expressing his grief over Jonathan’s loss.

Some important lessons from this passage:

1. Look for the best in situations and people, no matter how they have treated us.
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things” (Phillipians 4:8)

Action: Think of somebody we are not getting along with or a situation that we are finding it hard to deal with. Ask God to show us the positives that are there amongst the negatives. Pray that God will help us deal with that person or situation in the light of the good rather than the bad.

2. Acknowledge that God’s hand has guided us through our opponents. The Book of Proverbs teaches us ‘Iron sharpens iron”. David found the grace to recognize God at work in those who troubled him as well as in those who blessed him.

Action: Consider how in our past we have traveled through times when everything seemed against us. But here we are still telling the story! Thank God not just for those who have encouraged us, but also for the way those who opposed us have forced us to focus on things we might otherwise have avoided.

3. Speaking of our pain and our loss can break their power over us.
Central to Christian faith is a painful, undeserved and ugly blood-stained Cross. The forces that crucified Christ are still at work in our world. Recognizing and naming the hurt they cause is a positive step towards healing. In his eulogy David does not hold back from expressing his pain.

Action: Prayerfully bring to the Cross the painful places and open wounds that still haunt us. See how in Christ God enters into sharing our pain. Seek for His Holy Spirit to renew and recreate that which has been broken.

Sting in the tale.
The time will come for us when we will attend our own funeral. What then will the preacher say? Or maybe we will be blissfully unconcerned because the only words that we hear are from God. ‘Well done thou good and faithful servant!”