Life Doesn't Always Make Sense

I Samuel 20:1,3b: "Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked, 'What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life? . . . . As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.'"

Life doesn't always make sense. Certainly for David, the loyal subject of King Saul, the fact that the king would desire to take David's life made no sense. David had just brought victory to the Israelites through his defeat of the Philistine, Goliath. I Samuel 18:5 tells us that in everything that Saul sent David to do, David was very successful. Because the hand of the Lord was upon David, he was more successful than all of the other officers of the King, and David became a highly recognized figure in Palestine.

King Saul noticed that David was extremely successful in all he did for the king; Saul became jealous that the praise of his subjects was being diverted from him, and he was fearful that David's success might result in the king's overthrow. From that time forward, Saul sought ways to take the life of David in order that he could thwart any future attempt upon his throne. Saul's jealousy was unwarranted, for David was completely loyal to his king; there should have been no question in the king's mind that his subject was committed to him.

Despite his faithfulness to the king, David was dumbfounded that the king would attempt to take his servant's life. I'm sure that David had many restless nights wondering what he had done to deserve such a response from Saul.

Sometimes life presents us with questions that are not answered easily. At times, we may find ourselves questioning why we are traversing such a painful path, when it seems that we've been faithful. Although David did not have all the answers, he still committed himself to the Lord. David did not waiver in his obedience to God despite the perplexity of his circumstances. In the end, God worked all things in accordance with His will . . . to bring judgment upon Saul and to establish David's throne for eternity (2 Samuel 7:16).

Years later when David was the king, God communicated to David that He had never left David during those perilous times (2 Samuel 7:9). Despite the pain and uncertainty of that time when David was fleeing for his life, God used that time to teach David the need to depend completely upon the Lord. David seems to have learned an invaluable lesson through this ordeal, for later he would pen the words of Psalm 40 that seem to reflect his increasing faith in the Lord: "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD" (Psalm 40:1-3).

May we have the same resolve to put our complete trust in the LORD when life's experiences make no sense to us.