hiding

1 Samuel 20:19
“And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed; and remain by the stone Ezel.”

The stone Ezel would forever mark a turning point in the life of David. He had been sensing more and more that Saul’s jealous fits of rage would result in his own death. To clarify the matter, he and Jonathan had developed a plan to uncover Saul’s true desires. David would skip out on the palace celebration. In a few days, it would become evident he was not there. If Saul’s reaction was hostile, they determined David must flee for his life. In order to keep David informed of the news, Jonathan would shoot three arrows into the distance. If the arrows fell short of his location, David would know it was good news. If they flew beyond him, he would know Saul’s rage had escalated, and he must live the life of a fugitive.

After three days in hiding, David stood by the stone Ezel to await the news from Jonathan. Three days of silence would be broken by the course of the arrows. Finally, the moment arrived, and David heard the sound of voices in the distance and the faint release of the bow. He watched as one by one the arrows flew beyond him, and landed in the distance. At that point, his whole world changed. He could no longer enter the palace, go home to his bride, or visit his family, but would begin a life “on the lam” that would last a decade.

David is not alone in his distress. Others have had events forever change their lives, too. For some, the results of a medical test, the loss of a loved one, or a message left on their phone, has forever altered the course of their life. Perhaps, what started as any other day, has become the turning point of your life. While in no way trying to lesson the severity of your circumstances, please allow me to encourage you with the example of David. Instead of looking at this day as the end of his life, David continued to cling to and serve the Lord. It was in his wilderness experience, he wrote some of the most inspiring poetry of all time. There, with a cave as his home and criminals as his companions, David would learn the mercy and love of God in a deeper way than he ever thought possible.

In your struggles, cling to the promises of the Lord, and allow your turning point to transform your life into one that magnifies the Lord.

Pastor Jim

Proverbs 30:24-28
“There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.”

/home/wpcom/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir/b9a/30989304/files/2014/12/img_1267.jpg This Proverb takes us to the natural world, in order to illustrate spiritual truths. The behaviors of four creatures are used to help us understand how to walk with the Lord.

The ant is an example of being prepared for the future. We are exhorted to live prepared for eternity. We do that by receiving Jesus Christ and walking daily, with Him. Jesus reminded us of the need to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20).

The rock badger is believed to be a small animal, much like a rabbit. Having no defenses of its own, it could not fight off a predator. The wisdom of this small creature is found in the fact that it dwelt in the rocks. For a predator to attack the rock badger, it must go through the rock. The believer must learn to hide away in Christ; He is our fortress, strong tower, shield and buckler, against the enemy’s assault.

The locust was known for always moving forward. Nothing could impede the advance of a locust swarm. Paul reminds the believer of the need to forget the past and move forward with the Lord (Philippians 3:13). For many of us, our past failures are keeping us from present experiences with the Lord, and from future victories for the kingdom. It is time to act like a locust and press forward.

Finally, we have all seen a spider run up the wall and across the ceiling. Their ability to hold on is amazing. We are reminded of the need to cling to the Lord. The heroes of the Christian faith were men and women who held tightly to the promises of God. When the storms of life hit, they clung to the promises, and like an anchor, those promises held firm.

As the new year approaches, keep in mind, no obstacle is so great that God cannot give you strength to confront it. Let’s be sure, above all else, we resolve to make our hiding place in the Lord.

Pastor Jim