1 Samuel Chapter 22: Verses 1-2 (NIV)
David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
Samuel had anointed David as the next king of Israel, but his first subjects were his immediate family and a motley crew of discontented and marginalised people. When he received his anointing, I don’t know what David thought about how his calling would come to pass, but I’m sure he didn’t imagine it would be like this. However, he continued to seek God’s will every step of the way. (In fact, once he had come into his calling, the times that he sinned were the times when he didn’t seek God’s direction. – That’s an important lesson to remember.) It would still be some time before he would fully come into kingship, with all the recognition that would bring.
When we feel a particular calling from God, there may well be a time of training or testing before we fully come into the work that God has for us. Until then we must be careful to continually seek God’s direction and walk in obedience to it, no matter how unlikely the circumstances seem. The road will take us exactly where God wants us to be. We just need to be patient on the journey, and not be like a child asking, “are we there yet?”
Dear Lord,
I realise that Your way is the best way, but it’s not always the quickest or shortest way. I thank You that You have my best interests at heart so I can trust that the directions You give are always right, even if they seem surprising. Help me to be obedient to them and not think that I know better, or be tempted to take a shortcut. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.