Saul Models the Non-Seeker

Scripture: So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When David’s brothers and his father’s whole family heard, they went down and joined him there. In addition, every man who was desperate, in debt, or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. 1 Samuel 22:1-2

Observation: Saul is searching for David in order to kill him, and David is on the run. Every time Saul learns where David is, the scenario goes something like this ... Saul is sitting around angry at everyone, then someone arrives and tells Saul where David is, so Saul goes there.

However, there are many times where David is in a known location, and Saul does nothing. In this one example, David is in Adullam, and the fact is SO well known that David's family hears of it and goes there, plus a collection of people made up of those who don't have any real means or resources, and as a result David now has a small fighting force.

People who desire David to be their protector and leader and shepherd can easily learn where he is, as if it isn't a secret at all. Saul - the king with the most resources and the one able to command everyone to just give him information - refused to even try to learn where David can be found unless someone else makes extra effort to explicitly tell him.

Application: It is most common to read into this a bit of supernatural protection from the Lord over David. The Lord guides David, guides others to David, and either shields Saul from the intel he wants or distorts his mind to confuse his purposes. That is a logical interpretation of these events.

That said, there is something about the Lord, and about Jesus, that is evident in this, too. Those who seek, find. Those who don't seek ... don't. And those who don't seek, and then respond with negative emotions when someone finally just tells them, may make a great show of NOW seeking but still don't find.

This is all true of faith. Those who finally decide they are in need of the Lord, and thus want to find their purpose in life, and try to find faith in the Lord, will discover the good news of Jesus. However, those who just want to sit around and complain about unfair their life is, but don't go looking for a meaningful way to find joy and peace, won't even learn a single thing that would bring them to the truth. And for those, when someone does go out of their way to tell them about the Lord and about Jesus, if they go to see for themselves with an attitude of anger and hate, they are likely to reject anything they do hear and thus withdraw from faith.

Prayer: My Lord and my God, my father and protector and savior, I thank you so much for what you have done in my life. When I finally sought you, you immediately were findable. Your love and peace are wonderful, and may I continue to live within your shelter every day. Amen.