David, the giant killer, is on the run from the jealous King Saul, causing the fleeing man to seek an alliance with Israel’s enemy in Gath. His need to secure safety is primary in his mind, but he cannot outrun his reputation.
When David presents himself within the king’s court in Gath, an observant servant informs King Achish:
“Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands?’”
(1 Samuel 21:11)
David is neither the king of Israel nor a king of any land. At this moment he is a refugee on the run, but they recognize him as a dignitary.
When God is leading your life, He causes people to see you as He sees you. God’s view of you is greater than what you are going through!
Once David realizes that his identity has been made, he escapes by acting insane. Have you ever felt displaced from people, places and things familiar to you because of your honorable reputation? Have you ever tried to seek safety where God has not yet instructed you to go? Have you ever tried to downplay your honorable reputation in order to preserve yourself?
David is learning what life is like when one is chasing after the heart of God, experiencing the highs and lows. For every feeling of community, you may experience loneliness. For every feeling of trust, you may experience betrayal. For every feeling of serenity, you may experience anxiety. You may even wonder, “Where can I feel safe?” It is in these moments, in these highs and lows, that we must rely on God.
Where does David go? He withdraws to a to a cave (1 Samuel 22).
Caves are lonely, dark, frightening places to be. For David, the cave provides needed time to reflect.
In the cave, he has a promise but no pathway to its future.
In the cave, he has a weapon, but no one to fight.
In the cave, he is on the run, but God is with him.
What do you do when you find yourself in a cave?
Sometimes God must take us into the quiet, not to give us a restart or a reboot, but to install a new operating system. He guides us to community founded on Him, to trusting relationships built on Him, and to everlasting peace nurtured through Him.
God removes David from the palace court in order to begin developing him to fulfill His divine will in David’s life.
David’s exile is not spent entirely in solitude. His family, 400 men and the prophet Gad all show up when they hear that David is in the cave. None of these individuals would have been able to help David in his journey if he had remained in Israel.
Never despise your time in the cave of challenge and controversy. Know that God is developing you and your inner circle for something greater.
Hear God saying, “You are not alone.”
—Carl Ricketts Jr., MDiv, is director of Chaplain Services for Loma Linda University Medical Center.
