Run, Forrest, Run!

"what have I done?"

1 Samuel 29:8

Chapters 25, 26 and 27 of 1 Samuel are an interesting few chapters in David's life.  They represent a microcosm of David's successes and failures, and I think, as we look at an overview, there are some great lessons for us.

In chapter 25, David is offended and insulted by an impulsive, ungrateful fool (Nabal) and his response is to get revenge by killing Nabal.  He is stopped by the wisdom, humility and grace of Nabal's wife Abigail, and when she arrives to stop him, he wisely uses that opportunity to think better of his plan, and he turns around and leaves.

In chapter 26, while on the run from King Saul, he comes upon a sleeping Saul, unguarded by his sleeping army.  David, this time showing wisdom and righteousness, refuses the opportunity to harm "the Lord's anointed".

And in chapter 27, David had the colossally bad idea of hiding from Saul by living with the Philistines, the longtime enemies of the Israelites.  He convinced their commander that he was on their side by making him think he was conducting raids on the camps of the Israelites, when in reality he was raiding enemies of the Israelites.

So in these three chapters, we see David running, hiding, lying and fighting.  There's some serious stumbling here, but after every failure, we see triumph, because David always got back up after falling.

Sometimes our walk with God seems like an obstacle course.  We stumble along, tripping ourselves or being tripped by others, but He is still working in us and through us. 

When I drive my Amazing Boy to the baseball field, I drive by a lake where there are walkers and runners of all shapes and sizes.  {And by that I mean some human, and some canine.}  One Saturday morning recently, I drove past a man who had a very laborious gait.  I couldn't tell if he'd been injured, or if maybe he'd been born with one leg a little shorter than the other or something.  But his walking was very wearying to watch.

And I thought, man, if walking was that much trouble for me, I wouldn't bother.  I would only walk from Point A to Point B ~ for transportation, not for pleasure.  I know the value of walking for exercise, but knowing me, I would frequently decide it's just too much work.  And then I would eat a Snickers bar...

We are to run in such a way as to obtain the prize God has set before us, and that requires getting back up when we're down ~ as many times as necessary.

~ "those who run in a race all run,

 but one receives the prize. 

Run in such a way that you may obtain it" ~

1 Corinthians 9:24