Guard Your Heart

Many would say that one of the saddest stories in the Old Testament revolves around King Saul’s younger daughter, Michal. She fell head over heels in love with David right after he slew Goliath. So Saul decided to give Michal to David in marriage.

However, David’s increasing popularity threatened Saul, and to make matters worse, Michal angered her father by seeking to protect David from Saul’s murderous moods. One time, she even risked her own life to save David from her Dad! Saul got so angry he used his authority as king to force Michal to marry another man—just to spite David!

In the coming years, Michal went through numerous tragedies—she saw her father and brother, Jonathan, die in battle, her other brother murdered, and her family’s kingdom ripped away from her. Then, all of a sudden, David forced her to come back to him after a 12-year separation!

Unfortunately, David probably only wanted her back for political reasons. And surely she must have been shocked to find that David had married at least six other women during the time they were apart. Michal became so disappointed with David, with life, and with God that she became an angry, resentful and critical woman. And the unforgiveness and bitterness in her heart caused her not to be able to live a fruitful life.

“Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” ~ 2 Samuel 6:23

Michal’s life is an incredibly sad example of how people can be unjustly used by others. Yet it is also a powerful illustration of how disappointment, resentment and unforgiveness can cause you and I to live barren, empty and unproductive lives—just as Michal’s subsequent years were. We may not be able to control the situations that we encounter in life, but through it all, God does expect us to guard our hearts so that the springs of life will never stop flowing from us (Prov. 4:23)!

Prayer for the day:

Give your disappointments and pain to God and pray that He will heal you of past pains and injustice. Ask Him to soften your heart and refresh your vision for a wonderful future in Him!

Quote it from Pst. Kong Hee