Day 24: 1 Samuel 19:9–18

Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning. But his wife Michal warned David: “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!” (v. 11).

Once the seed of jealousy was sown in the heart of Saul, fear, anger, and bitterness fueled a jealousy that quickly grew out of control and continued to grow. Read 1 Samuel 19, and you can almost see the scene unfold on stage. Picture the scene with me.

Saul’s madness led him through a series of pendulum swings. He would become paranoid and homicidal toward David, then he would temporarily become rational, only to let his madness consume him again.

We’ve probably all been in Saul’s place at one time or another. Something makes us furious; then someone tries to talk some sense into us. We feel a little better, pledging to put our anger away forever. Then here it comes again with the power of gale-force winds.

Jealousy is a powerful emotion, isn’t it?

But so is love. When Saul married his daughter Michal to David, he thought she would be a snare to him. When the king discovered his daughter loved David, he became even more afraid (1 Sam. 18:28–29). He was right about love threatening his plans for Michal to bring harm to David. The power of love often exceeds the power of loyalty. Before long, Saul once again sought to kill David. Saul threw a spear at the young warrior, but once again he escaped. Saul sent soldiers to kill him—again—but Michal warned her husband. She helped him escape out a window and put an idol in the bed to look like David (vv. 11–13).

Saul thought he could trust Michal to make David miserable. He thought she would be a puppet in his hands against the young warrior—until he realized she loved him. Her masterful deception could easily have led to her death. She was spared only because she convinced her father that David would have killed her if she hadn’t let him get away.

Truly, love is more powerful than jealousy, just as godliness is more powerful than wickedness, and the Spirit of God is more powerful than anything! That’s what it takes to burst the walls of rage and jealousy within us. First John 3:20 says, “God is greater than our hearts.” As children of God, we do not have to be derailed by the way we feel. Our God is greater. Give Him your heart!