On this Sunday evening, I was looking at the life of David where he said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any more within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand. (I Sam 27: 1)
Whenever I travel to Valparai, I enjoy the sight of tall trees. Specially at one particular area we see trees that are centuries old. Their trunks are like made of iron and the roots embedded on the rock look like rock itself. As I look at those mighty trees, I wonder about all the years it took to grow to be so large and tall! How many storms and winds they had to face to become so strong like iron!
David, like many people, knowing he was not safe in Israel, decided to head off to the land of the Philistines. Yes, the very same David, who killed the Philistine giant Goliath, decided it would be safer to run to the Philistines than to stay in Israel and ask his heavenly Father to keep him under the “shelter of His wings.” In the valley of discouragement, David forgot who his protector really was and he went, seeking shelter, from the enemy of Israel.
Like David when we face challenges in our life, we long for life to be easier. We want things to improve. This is not a ridiculous desire. Who among us love to have trouble heaped on our heads all the time? I know I don’t and I am sure you don’t like to living under a cloud of adversity either. Our common adversary right now is the deadly virus that’s threatening us with a bleak future! Stress, depression and anxiety have overtaken our joy and peace.
In the case of David, faced with a future that appeared to be filled with one difficulty after another, he took things into his own hands and decided to take shelter in the land of Philistines. But very soon he writes one of my favorite Psalms
‘As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One, and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king’. (Psa 91:1) .
At last David found out that He is safe only under the protective wings of the Father!
It is my prayer this evening that in times of discouragement and adversity I should not try to solve the problems by myself and allow my Father to make a way for me through my difficulties!
I urge you to make it as your prayer too!
Come under the protective care of our Heavenly Father!
