阅读经文 

我记得观看1991年那次美国职业篮球联赛决赛时，我支持的芝加哥公牛队出战洛杉矶湖人队。这是迈克尔乔丹第一次率公牛队进入决赛，至于湖人队，魔术师约翰逊曾数次蝉联冠军，他懂得怎样取胜。第一场赛事从湖人队半场发球，他们侥幸打败了公牛队。然而，到了第二场，乔丹突破了湖人队的后防，乔丹的出色球技使芝加哥在六连冠比赛中第一次摘冠，约翰逊承认，他自己的光芒已经从此变得暗淡了，他知道他辉煌的日子已经一去不返了。

扫罗王却不肯承认他的国已开始没落了，他妒忌大卫，但又惧怕他，因为主一次又一次使大卫得胜——而且百姓都爱戴他。为了在将来的战事上赢得大卫的忠心，扫罗把他的女儿米拉赐给大卫为妻，但同时扫罗心里也说：“要藉非利士人的手害他。”（参撒上 18:21）然而大卫却礼貌地婉拒了，他表示他不配做扫罗的女婿。

后来，大卫娶了扫罗的另一个女儿米甲为妻——他为此付了苛刻的聘礼。当扫罗发觉米甲爱大卫，而神又继续与大卫同在时，他便变得更加害怕、嫉妒和愤怒了。扫罗实在不肯放手，他一直都在视大卫为敌。

I remember watching my Chicago Bulls play the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals. It was the first Finals series for Michael Jordan as he led the Bulls. For the Lakers, Magic Johnson had topped the championship mountain a few times and knew how to win. The Lakers managed to steal the first game from the Bulls on their home floor. But in the second game, Jordan tore through the Lakers’ defense. Johnson admitted his light was dimming as Jordan’s skill led Chicago to its first of six championships. Johnson knew his better days were behind him, not in front of him.

King Saul refused to admit that his kingdom was sinking. He was jealous and afraid of David, because the Lord gave David victory after victory—and the people loved him. To try to buy David’s loyalty in future warfare, Saul offered his daughter Merab to him. And at the same time Saul thought, “Let the Philistines kill him!” But David politely refused, saying that he was not worthy to be Saul’s son-in-law. David might also have sensed that he should not be in debt to Saul. He couldn’t trust Saul.

Later on, David did accept Saul’s offer of another daughter, Michal—for a price. And when Saul saw that Michal loved David and the Lord continued to be with David, Saul grew even more afraid, jealous, and angry. Saul just couldn’t let go, and he remained David’s enemy.