Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

There are times in our lives, when we get to the crossroads and don’t know which road to take, it’s not an easy choice. Not unlike the two roads in a yellow wood [“Road not taken” – poem by Robert Frost]. Sometimes the choices are more than two and at times there seem to be no path ahead, not even a trail which one could follow. So what do we do?

We land into the season of waiting, of pondering the pros and cons, trying to think ahead, of the big picture of the consequences our choices would bring and we are left afraid and perplexed due to the uncertainty of the future we face. The season of “not knowing” what to do. I was surprised to read the following verse which talks about David’s situation:

Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.”  – 1 Samuel 22:3 NLT.

It was encouraging to learn that David went through a phase of not knowing. He was anointed when he was young as the next king of Israel by Samuel, the Prophet. Then he defeated Goliath, the Giant. He became the Armor-bearer of Saul, the son-in-law of Saul, personal musician of Saul, the current king of Israel.

He won a great many victories, he was popular, he was a close friend of Jonathan, son of Saul. He regularly dined with the royal family, in the palace. It seemed all things were set, to David becoming the next king. But David knew Saul is bent on killing him, he saw the signs, he knew he was in danger and decided to flee.

Now he is a fugitive running for his life, with a few of his men. Soon his brothers, relatives and parents join him. Then other people who were distressed, in debt or just discontented join David and he becomes their captain, about 400 men. (verse 2) That’s when he moves to Moab and leaves his parents there, in safety. After that we see him moving from one place to another, with Saul in hot pursuit.

So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. … David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him. 1 Samuel 23 : 13, 14 NLT.

We see that God is still in control, He did not let Saul find/catch him even though Saul seems to know David’s every move. He came really close but God made a way of escape for David:

Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men, an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again. So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape. Verses 26-28.

David had the promise from God, He was to be King but the road to that was not an easy one. He faced many hurdles on the way. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking: if it is God’s will, it will be smooth sailing, but it is not so.  Jesus did not promise an easy journey but said, “In this world, you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world”.

He was with Daniel’s friends in the fire. He was with Daniel in the Lion’s den. He was with Joseph in the prison. So no matter in which pit or prison or fire you find yourself in, God is with you. He might seem silent, but his presence is with you. He will provide a way out of this. So be encouraged! Take heart in this season of not knowing. May God grant the wisdom to wait on him and know what to do. Closing this with a song called “Help me find it” by Sidewalk Prophets:

If there’s a road I should walk, Help me find it
If I need to be still, Give me peace for the moment
Whatever Your will, Whatever Your will
Can you help me find it, Can you help me find it.