"Jehovah-shalom" The Lord Is Peace
The course of our life seems to be a constant goal of trying to get from point "A" to point "B". As children we couldn't wait until we were older. Older meant having the ability of doing things we could not do because we were too small or too young.
As adults or as the head of a family, we strive to make it from one paycheck to the next. Trying to find the perfect job, a better home, or ideal place to live. We are constantly trying to achieve our goal of arriving at point "B" only to discover that point "A" is actually our destination and point "B" is infinite and beyond our reach.
One day at a time never seems to enter the realm of our reality. Quite often that reality may be too difficult to bear. A reality too painful to share. A reality that may be so filled with shame and disgrace that it is too difficult to reveal to others. For far too many this is their reality.
Two years after Saul became king he brought David into his household. After David defeated the giant of Gath Saul took David as his son and Jonathan lovingly accepted him as a brother. David sat at the king's table and ate from his plate. He was revered by the priests and captains of Israel as one of the king's sons. The ideal situation for a young shepherd boy to be placed in a seat of honor at such a young age.
But life took a drastic turn for David once he was removed from his family and placed in the home of the king. Saul became enraged while David sang and played the harp to soothe the spirit that oppressed him. Several times, Saul picked up his spear and threw it at David in an attempt to nail him to the wall. But with each attempt, David escaped with his life. Unable to kill him he sent David into the forefront of each battle hoping the enemy would destroy him. Realizing that Saul was plotting to destroy him David fled from his presence into the wilderness with the help of his wife Michal and Jonathan, Saul's son.
In *I Samuel 22:2 it is recorded, "And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men." Over the course of thirty years David's entourage increased to six hundred men along with their wives and children.
All that David knew was changed. His life of peace and tranquility had suddenly been exchanged for discord and disharmony. Accolades were exchanged for words of anger and threats. Pats on the back became spears through the heart. Dinner became a time for sharing insults and expressing disapproval.
There are many in this world who go through the type of agony David went through. A life where they have nowhere to escape and nowhere to run. Not because of anything that they are guilty of, but because those who are in control are out of control. Lives out of control bring pain, sorrow, discord, distress, discontentment, indebtedness, anger, fear, hatred, and abuse to all those around them. For many this is a life that they are born into. Others, like David, are placed into these situations through legal channels. Some through a divorce and remarriage. For most the direct cause is poor choices made by a parent.
The course of David's life was not plotted by Saul but sought by Saul. David was innocent and had favor with God. *I Samuel 27:1-7, "And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife. And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee? Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months."
David was bound in the bundle of life with the Lord his God. There is a God in heaven who has already made a plan for your life. A plan of peace that will bring you to a greater end than your humble beginnings. A life of love with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
David realized that his life was in the hands of the Lord his maker. That no matter what the day, it is the Lord Who made it and a day to rejoice and be glad in. He ran to the Rock of his salvation, the Stone that the builders rejected. The Lord who was his Light and his Salvation. David realized that his help did not come from the hills where he chose to hide, but his help came from the Lord. As long as he had breath to breathe he praised the Lord. When he felt he could not, he told his soul to bless the Lord.
No matter what your life may have been in the past He can cause your heart to sing and your lips to speak glory and honor and praise to His name. When you run from a life of torment there is no greater place to run than the arms of God your Redeemer. He can comfort you, encourage you, and crown you with praise. May God wrap you in His bundle of life that you may be able to sing as David sang.
P For nearly twenty years David ran from Saul. Hiding in rocks and caves. Traveling throughout all of Israel from the caves of Adulam to the wilderness of Ziph until he found refuge in Ziklag among the Philistines. Fearing for his family he found refuge for his father and mother in Mizpeh of Moah. For one year and four months he resided in Ziklag with his wives and children until word came to him that Saul and his sons had been defeated and slain in Mount Gilboa.
*February 12, 2006