Several things could reveal a man’s character, one of which is how he reacts to the misfortune of an enemy – real or imagined. Nothing revealed David’s golden heart like his emotional mourning of the demise of Saul and Jonathan in Second Samuel 1:19-27. Mourning Jonathan is understandable; we know that he worked for the safety of David many times. However, mourning for Saul, a man who persecuted him to strange lands, is something too deep for the average mind to contemplate. Generally speaking, death changes a lot of things; including perspectives. For David it wasn’t death alone that changed his perspective of Saul; it was his unusual carriage and compassion. In his large heart, David saw beyond the issue of rivalry that ruined a once blossoming relationship with Saul; he judged him in the bigger context of what the demised king did for his people.
The main thrust of our meditation today is a line in David’s dirge about Saul and Jonathan. He described them as being “swifter than eagles.” Eagles are known for strength, vision and swiftness. Eagles can dive from mountain top and level up with a prey on the ground or in water. Like the eagle, you can train your spirit to respond swiftly to every signal of God. The end-time army is made up of people who know their ranks, strong, and swift. Those who will be used of God in a mighty way must work on their ability to respond to God’s leading and promptings. Obedience to God cannot be delayed, because delayed obedience is incomplete obedience. They also cannot afford to obey God halfway. As a former landlord of mine once said, “50% obedience is disobedience”.