Listening To The Father’s Heart

Listening To The Father’s Heart

Sometimes, my son, life can take you to the brink. My son David came to a place in his life where he felt he had to fake madness just to stay alive. He lost his wife, his career, and his reputation. He was forced to live in a cave with 400 other down and outs. He went from being an adored national hero and the undefeated general of an army of thousands to being alone, a fugitive running for his life, although he had served his nation and his king faithfully and well. I never said life would be fair; I just said I’d never leave you alone in the process. David could not feel my presence with him all the time, but I was there. I sent his once estranged family and brothers to him to comfort him. I sent those 400 men to be cared for by him. I turned those misfits into the greatest army in all of history. I took David from the stronghold of the cave of despair all the way to Judah, the place of praise. I will do the same for you.

Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?” 1 Samuel 21:10-14

And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” 1 Samuel 22:2,5