Scripture
All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
~I Samuel 22:2, NIV
Quote
“Jesus forgives sins; He is comfortable with sinners {who dare to be honest} but He cannot and will not have a relationship with pretenders.”
~Brennan Manning
I Samuel is intriguing no matter what translation you read; it would make a great movie. David is on the run and Saul is in hot pursuit. David tried to find refuge in Gath but that was a mistake, a frightening mistake. He then takes flight east through the valley of Elah to the cave at Adullam. The cave has several small openings but once inside it opens up into large caverns, plenty of space for a small army. At first David is alone in the cave but word quickly spreads to his family in Bethlehem. In a very short time, David solitude is invaded and he has a cave filled with people. This includes all his family and it is not a small family and about 400 men and some of them may have had wives and children. Providentially what comes to David is a small army. A small army can move faster and it harder to locate. With David as their leader, these guys never lost a battle.
There are a couple of insights I would like to share. First of all, the cave was a dark and discouraging moment in David’s life but it became a defining moment. It was here that David came to realize that man could not help him, he had to have divine intervention to survive. It was here that David put his confidence in God alone. David transformed the cave with prayer and praise; it converted the cave into a sanctuary but the cave also transformed David. None of us enjoy the dark moments nor the doubt, and discouragement that accompany them but God uses them to hone us. God was preparing David for a throne. Don’t waste your sorrows: each comes with a valuable lesson.
What is really edifying about this story is that first we have David alone in the cave and he is crying out to God for comfort and consolation and then at the end of the Chapter, David is giving comfort to others. Here is what he says to Abiathar who is also fleeing the wrath of Saul: “Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.” It reminds me of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
There is another point: David’s army {3-D Church} was not made up of noblemen, rich and successful people. Everyone in David’s army had problems. It reminds me of what Paul said the Corinthian church: Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. God calls and uses people that the world ignores.
Just what the doctor ordered, a slow gentle rain. Spencer texted me yesterday. Tracy is getting better and stronger daily. She is doing things without assistance. Keep praying for Tracy and her dad, he also has cancer. I pray for four women daily who are battling cancer: Tracy, Andrea, Sharon and Sandra.
Did you know? Ezra (HaSofer) had a second name, Salathiel {Whom I asked from God}. I found it in 2 Esdras 3:1. I also came across a line in Ezra’s prayer that caught my attention… “You {Yahweh} have given no indication to anyone of how Your ways are to be understood. Is Babylon more virtuous than Zion?” Our God is shrouded in mystery.
My little Acer just cut itself off yesterday and i went without a computer for 2-3 hours. You would be surprised at how addicted I am to the internet and I am finally learning to use BING. Trying to get away from Google but it aint easy. About the time I got my I-pad set up here in the office, the computer rebooted itself.