THE REFUGE
David was a young man who was chosen by The Lord Himself to be the king over His covenant people. He was the son of Jesse, he was the youngest of six brothers, and he tended to his fathers’ sheep. As a Shepherd boy, his heart became inflamed to know the God of his fathers, for it was for this purpose he was created, and for this purpose, he existed. God’s mighty hand was upon him, and one day he would wear a king’s crown and would foreshadow the eternal King, Jesus Christ, who would appear a little over a thousand years later.
The record of David’s life, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, was a life of great struggle, one in which The Lord would mold and sculpt to purpose His divine will. David’s life was marked with repentance and a heart of praise. After facing the Philistine giant, his reputation would begin to change. He became known as a fearless warrior. He would walk through the streets, and the people would be singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his 10 thousand.” He won the heart of the people, and it was at this point in his life he became a threat to King Saul. Although the Lord had rejected King Saul because of his disobedience, he sought to have David killed. So, with great diligence, King Saul contrived to have David removed from the face of the earth.
After fleeing from King Saul for many years, hiding in caves, fearful of losing his life, David decides to go and live among the Philistines, the archrivals of God’s people. Although David had not been harmed up until this point, he sought to evade the evil King by living in a foreign land. While in the area of the Philistines he became a servant to Achish, one of the Philistine Kings. As time went by, he became a mighty warrior for King Achish, even to the point of calling him lord. One day when David and the men, those who followed him to this foreign land, returned home from battle, their families had been taken along with all their possessions. With anger, the men rose up to stone him, but David, fearing for his life, strengthened himself in the Lord his God. The Lord was faithful and heard David’s prayer and brought complete restoration to him and all of the men who fought beside him.
Those who are in the Christian faith, who hold to the sufficiency of God’s Word as an absolute command on moral issues, will face much opposition in this world. The enemy is continually making advancements toward the saints of Jesus Christ to destroy their testimony. This is a fierce battle that is only won by the grace of The Lord Jesus Christ and a disciplined lifestyle, holding fast to the word of truth. To retreat from this fierce battle and not stand firm against the wiles of the devil is to defy the Lord commands, which in return leads not only to your devastation, but it also affects those whom you love and care for. This is not a battle you choose to fight; it is one that you must fight. May you strengthen yourself in the Lord to overcome the giant that rivals the Lord’s majesty in your life.