1 Samuel 22:1-2, 22-23 “So David . . . escaped to the cave of Abdullum; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard of it, they went down there to him. Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. . . . David said, . . . ‘Stay with me, do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life; you are safe with me.’”
Observation: In fleeing from Saul, David had found a hiding place in a cave. As word of his whereabouts spread among friends and family, they joined him there and chose to follow him. The last time his three older brothers had seen David was on the battlefield before David had fought Goliath (see 1 Sam. 17). His oldest brother, Eliab, then had been derisive of David, but now with new battle lines drawn by Saul, David’s hiding place became a place of refuge.
Application: What a wonderful foreshadowing of Christ. The wounded, the poor, the hurting, all ran to David. Now, Christ invites us to find refuge in Him. David wasn’t out to recruit a following; he was in hiding. Yet the afflicted were drawn to him for the protection he could offer. Even David’s parents and brothers came.
Jesus Himself is my place of refuge in the storms of life. But He is so much more than David could ever be; Jesus has already experienced my pain; He has gone to the cross in my behalf; He understands what I am feeling, and promises that as I find my hiding place in Him, I will be set free. He died such a horrible, painful death so I could enter into His eternal life.
Because He lived, I am able to die—die to sin, die to offense. What a remarkable paradox: that He lived so I could die to the thing that otherwise would keep me separated from Him. And He died so I might live. He has left nothing unfinished. All I need, He offers. All I lack, He provides.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am overwhelmed by Your love. Your passion-filled pursuit of me leaves me speechless; I am astounded by the depth of Your commitment to cleanse me completely, to so remake my emotional chemistry that I am now suitable to be Your bride. Hallelujah!