Turning The Page

“So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.” (1Sa 31:6 AV)

When Saul died, all who were closest to him died as well.  This is no reflection on their character.  Jonathan was a man of integrity, humility, and honor.  For me, there are very few men who really speak to my heart.  Jonathan was one of them.  He stood for what was right when there was absolutely nothing in it for him.  He defended David while serving his king.  That had to be challenging, to say the least.  What struck me is all those who served God, and the king died with the king.  They all died together.  What application that has I don’t know as yet.  One could surmise that when God closes a door, He does so completely.  Other than some holdouts like Abner, the transition from the house of Saul to the house of David was rather seamless.  They all died together so that God could turn the page.  Again, this is no reflection on the character of those who passed.  Saul himself, although in rebellion against God, still joined Samuel in paradise.  Saul’s armourbearer was a fine young man.  His death was not a judgment.  The LORD certainly was not judging Jonathan.  It was time for change.  That change was complete.

We recently returned from a trip abroad.  I learned much.  The biggest thing I learned was existing in a country where you don’t speak or understand the language may be entertaining at first, but it quickly turns to isolationism.  Trying to navigate an airport without knowing the language is near to impossible.  One thing I came away with is how radically different a missionary’s life becomes when he steps foot in his country of service.  People are people, but language and culture are not.  One cannot surrender to the mission field unless he or she is willing to turn the page on a former life.  My son may still be a citizen of the U.S., but living and working in a foreign field has a way of changing who and what you are.  They have not been there terribly long.  They have not made the emotional change from their country of their nativity to their unfamiliar country.  If they follow the trajectory of other missionaries, it is bound to happen.  One thing is for sure, living and serving in a foreign mission field is impossible unless one chooses to turn the page.  To be used of God, one must be willing to turn the page. 

Things change.  Times change.  Circumstances change.  Change is part of life.  It is not easy.  Change can often include pain.  I am sure there were families that mourned the loss of Saul, his house, and his servants.  The armourbearer had a mother and a father.  He may have had a family of his own.  We know Jonathan had at least one son and if he had a son, he had a wife.  We also know that Saul’s daughters lived through this.  They had to bury their father and brothers.  The change listed above caused some discomfort.  But change was necessary.  Incremental change is much easy to handle.  We can adjust as the change occurs.  But to flip the page and go on is rather dramatic.  To know that the past is gone forever is not comfortable.  Changing one’s life in a radical and complete way takes much doing.  Anxiety, fear, etc are all part of the experience.  Change comes hard.  But sometimes a new a fresh start is necessary.  Israel could not have gone on unless they went on from Saul.  Wholey and completely, the house of Saul, needed to pass into the past.  For David to be the king he was called to be, the past had to stay in the past.  Something new had to happen.  Pain was involved.  But glory followed.  If we are unwilling to turn the page, we will be stuck in the same maturity level for our remaining life.  The chapter has to end before a new one can be written.  That is the way of life.