Between a Rock and a Hard Place

There’s an interesting story in the twenty-ninth chapter of the Old Testament book of I Samuel. David has been living with the Philistines in order to escape the deadly pursuit of King Saul. Earlier in I Samuel, we read that God rejects Saul as king and sends the prophet Samuel to anoint David as Israel’s next king. But between his anointing and the time he is actually crowned king, David spends over a decade hiding out in the desert wilderness from Saul’s malicious pursuit. Eventually, he is forced to cross the border into Philistia, where he is protected by the Philistine king, Achish.

When war erupts between Israel and Philistia, David finds himself between a rock and a hard place. If he refuses to fight, he will be branded a spy and traitor, and the Philistines will kill him. If he joins the Philistines in battle against his own people, he will labeled a turncoat, and the path to kingship will be upended.

David chooses to lead his men (about six hundred) into battle on the side of the Philistines. Fortunately, the other Philistine leaders don’t trust his allegiance, and King Achish is forced to send David and his men back. Upon returning to their camp in Ziklag, they discover that their village has been burned to the ground and their wives and loved ones taken captive by an Amalekite raiding party. David and his men pursue the Amalekites and win a decisive victory restoring their families, along with a great deal of plunder.

David wisely sends gifts from this plunder to the elders in Judah. This sets the stage for his recognition as king. Immediately after this event, King Saul takes his own life as Israel is defeated by the Philistines.

There are times in our lives when, like David, we find ourselves in seemingly impossible situations. We make our choices, none of which appear to be good, and we move forward, trusting God to work things out. And work things out, he does!

Do you find yourself in one of those impossible situations today? Are you fearful for your future? However difficult the decision may be, you need to make a choice and move forward. Only do so, trusting God to lead you. As someone whose been there, I can promise you, God will see you through the difficult days ahead.

In Christ,

Dan

Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.

You can listen to my weekly messages at Embrace Church, High Point.