Mercy Over Revenge

Mercy isn’t the soft option; it’s the stronger road that trusts God with justice. We journey through 1 Samuel 23–24 as David saves Keilah while on the run and then stands in the cave with the power to end Saul’s pursuit—only to choose restraint. That choice reframes what strength looks like: not seizing control, but honoring God’s timing. Along the way, I share a relay-race decision that traded a personal title for a team victory and a raw story of a $14,000 betrayal by a long-time friend, where we chose to protect a fragile family rather than go public. Each story pulls the same thread: service over self, mercy over revenge, trust over fear.

If you’re wrestling with a fresh wound, this conversation offers a path forward that guards your heart and honors God. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of courageous restraint, the freedom of letting go, and a renewed confidence that God sees, knows, and settles the books. Subscribe for weekly devotionals, share this episode with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find the message. What would change in your story if you let God do the defending?

Follow me on Substack for application questions & reflection on each episode. Share your comments

Study of Ruth - Click Here

Study of Judges - Click Here

Study of Joshua - Click Here

Download Birth of Jesus E-book Here - Scroll and download
Click Here for Devotional Link

Follow Jessi Morgan on social:
TikTok - @Jessimorganfaith
IG - @Jessimorganfaith
Website: www.jessimorganhome.com/devotions
Contact: jessi@jessimorganhome.com
Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Purpose Of The Devotional
• 1:14 Setting The Scene In 1 Samuel 23
• 2:31 David Saves Keilah And Risks Safety
• 4:06 A Track Story About Sacrifice
• 6:40 Lessons On Service Over Self
• 7:26 Into 1 Samuel 24: The Cave
• 9:15 Mercy Over Revenge With Saul
• 11:04 The Bridesmaid Betrayal And Mercy
• 13:00 Why Revenge Corrodes And Mercy Heals
• 14:15 Genesis 34: When Revenge Goes Wrong
• 16:45 Trusting God As Defender
• 18:48 Prayer, Closing, And Listener Invite

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Hello, hello. You're listening to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Heart Podcast, episode 75. This week's devotional is titled David on the Run Part 2, Mercy Over Revenge. Let's go. Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan. I used to just share home decor and renovation tips on social media, but now I'm sharing something even closer to my heart. My journey in love for Jesus Christ, my Savior. Welcome to the Jesse Morgan Devotions for the Christian Hawk Podcast. This is a weekly devotional I started back in May 2024, but the inspiration for it came much earlier. It was rooted in a faith journey that began when my daughter was born four months early in 2023. Through that challenging time, God worked in ways that truly amazed me. On this podcast, I share personal stories of faith woven together with Scripture to show just how incredible God's word can be in our everyday lives. My hope is that through these stories, you'll be encouraged, uplifted, and reminded of God's love and presence, no matter what you're going through. So I invite you to spend less than 15 minutes with me each week as we reflect on these devotionals together. Let's all pray within. David on the Run Part 2, Mercy Over Revenge. 1 Samuel 23 through 24. Hello, and welcome back to the podcast. This week we're continuing our study in 1 Samuel. We're almost to the end of 1 Samuel, which is insane. So we're focusing in on 23 and 24 this week. And these chapters really show us who David is and really just showing the struggle that he's going through, having to be on the run from the king of Israel. And as we know, um, David is not just a warrior or a future king, but he's also a man after God's own heart, that it says in scripture. It's in these moments of fear, betrayal, and pressure that David's character, David's true character shines. So first, let's dig into 1 Samuel 23, 1 through 14. This is really, to me, really focusing in on David's courage and sacrifice. So at this point, David is literally running for his life. He hasn't done anything wrong, yet King Saul is determined to kill him. The same man David once served faithfully is now his enemy. But David isn't alone. About 400 men are with him family, outcast, people mistreated by Saul, and they're living in caves, hiding in the wilderness, surviving off the land. Then David hears the Philistines, which is, we know, the mortal enemy, is attacking the town of Kala. Scripture says in um 1 Samuel 23, 1 through 2, it says, When David was told the Philistines are fighting against Kala, they are looting the threshing floors. He inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? The Lord answered him, Go, attack the Philistines and save Calah. So even though David was in danger, a fugitive, he still asked God what to do. He doesn't make decisions out of emotion. He goes to the Lord first and he obeys. He and his men defeat the Philistines and save the town. But then Saul hears of David's location and he says, God has delivered him into my hands in verse 7. So once again, David had to flee. David could have chosen safety, but he chose service. He risked his own life for others, even though people would later portray betray him. And it just blows my mind that he went to Kala, beat the Philistines, risked his life because clearly he could have been found. And the people, somebody in Kayla goes back and tells Saul that they've seen David. After David went in there and decided on his own to fight and defeat the Philistines, I would have been ticked if I was David. And it just shows the courage and the selfishness of David, regardless. And this reminds me of something that happened back in high school, track and field for me, that I just I completely forgot about this story till really reading this part of scripture of David. And it just to me, it really correlates. So hopefully you can enjoy it as much as I love telling it. So, anyways, track and field story from high school. Um, as many people know, or some that don't, we had an amazing track team, very competitive. We were fast, you know, really athletic, the whole nine. Um, I ran the 100 meter, 200, and the 400 meter. I was a sprinter for the most part. I was NVP several times and always, you know, really bringing in the points for my team. Then came our conference championship meet. I had dreamed for years of being conference champion in the 200 meter. I wasn't able to get that title before. And this time around, I made the finals and I was ready and I was considered a favorite. But right before the race, about an hour and a half before, my coach, my head coach came up to me and said, Jess, I need you to run the 4x4 relay instead. And he explained that if I didn't run it, our team might lose the overall title of the meet. He said, Your teammate Jen is already in the 200-meter final anyway. If you don't run, she'll probably win the race for us, regardless. But we need you in the 4x4 to secure the team championship. My heart sank. That was my race, my dream. I remember sitting on the bleachers watching Jen line up for the 200 meter. She ran beautifully. She won the conference title. I was happy for her, but I was so hurt inside. I had wanted that so badly. But then it was time for the four by four relay. I ran anchor. We had some competition early in my leg. Another girl came out strong, but I dug deep, leaned into that last 200 meters, and pulled away. I took it home and we won. We became conference champions as a team. And that taught me something really, really special. Sometimes God asks you to let go of your own victory or your own safety or your own comfort zone for the sake of something bigger. And in Philippians 2, 3 through 4, it says, Do nothing out of the selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interest of others. Now that's what David did, and that's what God calls us to do too. And just remember that when you sacrifice and sacrifice for the Lord, sacrifice for someone else, God is gonna bless you. And David sacrificed his safety for a bit, and God still blessed him and let him flee. And for me, you know, that was really hard for me to give up that conference championship title in the 200. But in the end, it was so great to win as a team. And to this day, I mean, I'm just grateful for that. Um, and I think God blessed me in so many different ways than just getting that conference championship title in the 200. Now, on to 1 Samuel 24. And this was to me a really special chapter again that just shows the character of David, even through everything he went through. What he decided not to do here just really touched me. So here it goes. Um, so in chapter 24, after you know, David fleeing and all those things, um, Saul got word of where David was and was going to pursue him again to try to kill him. But then Saul finds out that the Philistines are attacking Israel again in another part. So he breaks off his pursuit for David to go fight them. And, you know, that was kind of that was that was kind of the end of chapter 23, and now we're going into 24. So when the battle's over, Saul immediately goes back to hunting David, of course. And it says in 1 Samuel 1 through 3, it's kind of long, but I think it's just it's a really great way to set the to set the scene. After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, David is in the desert of Engedi. So Saul took 3,000 abled strong men from all Israel and set out to look for David. He came to the sheep pens along the way, a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. Now just picture this. Um so David's men whispered to David, and they said, This is your chance. The Lord has delivered him into your hands in verse 4 of chapter 24. But David refuses. The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, he says in 1 Samuel 24, 6. Instead, David quietly cuts off a corner of Saul's rope. When Saul leaves, David comes out of the cave and calls after him, saying in 1 Samuel 24:8, My Lord the King, when Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and with bowed down with his face on the ground. And it also says in verse 11, he says, See my lord, this is what David says, see my lord, look at this piece of your robe in my hand. I cut off the corner of your robe, but but did not kill you. And then immediately, in verse 17, Saul weeps and he says, You are more righteous than I. You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. David could have taken revenge, but he chose restraint. And at this point, after this, him and Saul make an oath, make like a commitment to each other, and all that, and they and they part ways. But the fact that David did not kill Saul right when he could have in the cave. I mean, he knew he was gonna be the future king already, so why not just take the chance and get Saul out of the way? But you know what? David knew that that's not what God wanted him to do, that's not righteous. And if David is gonna be king, he's gonna be king on God's timing. And David knew that that was not the way to do it, and just versus seeking out that revenge for him, you know, on himself and doing it in his own way. He had restrained and he chose to spare Saul. And he said, God will take care of that. Just how powerful is that, you know? And I just I really, really admire that. And it kind of brings me to another story I wanted to share today. I'd mentioned this story before, I think earlier in the year, about remember the bridesmaid that stole like$14,000 from me? Yeah, that story. But I got a little bit of a different take on it now. Not a different take, but a little bit more detail into the story because we all know that she took the$14,000 for me, but just listen to this whole thing. So, you know, years ago, during my wedding planning, one of my bridesmaids, you know, someone I'd known for over 15 years, they took advantage of me financially and she used my credit card through her LLC, took thousands of dollars, 14,000, and never paid me back. And you know, what even made it more sad was our moms were very close friends. And when her mom called my mom to ask what happened between us, my mom just said, She knows what she did, but I'm not gonna tell you. But here's the thing her mom and dad were wonderful Christian people, kind-hearted, generous, and we knew that if we told her or we told the mother the truth, it would just destroy her and possibly her and her daughter's relationship. Um, because their relationship was on the rocks anyway. It had gotten better, but it was, you know, at times it was a little shaky. So my mom, I mean, her mom would have been furious if she really knew what happened. And she probably would have kicked her out, maybe even repaid the money to me. But my mom and I decided we're not gonna do that, we're not going to break up a family over money, even though we were completely in the right. And that was hard, man, because I had the receipts, the credit card records, everything. I could have exposed her easily. And you know what's so funny is years later, I've seen her pop up in the entertainment world on TV, and and she's and doing well. I could have blasted her on social media, tagged her, told the story, gone viral, but I didn't because that's not who I want to be. And honestly, I've seen how God can handle things, and I see how he handled this situation with me financially. The debt got paid off, my life is blessed. I have a wonderful, beautiful family, a strong marriage, wonderful home, a great career, and a peace in my heart. And that's what mercy does. It gives God space to move. And in Romans 12, 19, it says, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. So what I've learned is revenge might feel satisfying for the moment, but revenge breeds bitterness versus mercy brings peace. Mercy brings forgiveness. And that's something we need to remember as Christians. We cannot sit there and try to take on, you know, the the bitterness and take on the revenge ourselves. Because when we do that, it just makes things worse. And, you know, it always reminds me of that famous story in Genesis 34. Um, I've been recently doing another, I've been doing a Bible study with a group of women at my church, and we've been going through Genesis, and it's just, I know the book, I know the book very well, but it's just great to go through it in depth again and looking at it from a different perspective. So Genesis 34 was a chapter that stood out to me. And this is what happens when revenge goes wrong. I wonder if you remember this story. Um, the story in Genesis 34, it shows what happens when people take revenge into their own hands. Jacob's daughter, if we all know Jacob is gonna initially is gonna be named Israel, and he has 12 sons in the 12 tribes, and you know, Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebecca, the chosen one. So, anyways, Jacob's daughter, Dina, who is the youngest of all her of all his children at the time, was violated by a man named Shechem. And afterward, he wanted to marry her. Her brothers, Simeon and Levi, especially, were furious, and understandably so. But instead of trusting God, they plotted revenge against Shechem. They told Sheshem and his men and his father, If you want to marry into our family, you all must be circumcised. The men agreed, but while they were still in pain, think about everything, circumcised. They're they're gonna be in pain for a couple of days at this point. So while the men were, you know, the the men of Shechem and were circumcised, um, they were still in pain, they were still recovering, laying low. And Simeon and Levi took it upon themselves and went into the city and killed every single male in the city. And Genesis 34, 25 through 26, it says, Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, took their swords and attacked the unsuspectedly city, killing every male. And they took something, and what's so crazy about this story is they took something so sacred, which is circumcision, a covenant with God, and they used it to deceive and destroy. Their anger was justified, but their actions were sinful. And that's what revenge can do and does. It takes something meant for good, like justice, and twists it into sin. So here's how you know I've learned through all of these chapters this week as well. Um, when you choose restrain, your faith is growing. And when you stop trying to get back at someone, seek revenge on someone, your security in God gets stronger. Because it means you trust Him enough to handle what you cannot. David did, my mom and I did, and God showed up big time. So if you've been wronged, if you've been betrayed, don't waste your energy plotting revenge. Let God handle it. He's a far better defender than we'll ever be. I think we all can agree on that. And why would we not want anybody else fighting for us but the Lord? Why not? And so if we have such an amazing father, amazing protector, amazing God who sent the Holy Spirit so each of us can have that connection to him. If he gave us all this already, why do we feel the need to have to try to equip ourselves with earthly shields and protection? It just doesn't make sense. So I encourage you, as Christians, believers, to really let God defend you. Defend you always. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this lesson on mercy and restraint. Help us remember that revenge only leads to bitterness, but mercy opens the door for blessings. Strengthen our faith so that when we're wronged, we trust you to make it right. Remind us that you see every injustice and that you are faithful to defend your people and your loved ones. Father, we love you and we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Love you all till next time. Well, that wraps up this week's episode. My prayer is that these devotions bring you a little closer to God each day. If you felt encouraged, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with a friend or loved one who could use the same reminder. Be sure to hit subscribe so you never miss a weekly message. And if you like, leaving a kind review means so much. For more, check the show notes or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok at Jessie MorganFaith. Until next time, this is Jesse Morgan praying off.