Fragile Faith

David’s decision to flee to the Philistines (1 Samuel 27) is totally understandable. He had been relentlessly pursued by Saul and had heard his pleas for forgiveness before. Experience had taught David that Saul was not to be trusted no matter how genuine the appeal sounded. He also had those with him: some 600 men and their families. To continue moving and managing that horde was both taxing and troublesome. It made sense to put all that behind him, at least for a while, and find safety under the protection of Achsih, king of Gath, a Philistine city.

As understandable as David’s decision was, it was not commendable. In fact, given all that David had been provided in the way of assurances that Yahweh was with him and would be his protection, the decision to find refuge among pagans outside the boundaries of Israel revealed a faith that had wavered. His fragile, faltering faith put David in a precarious position that, unless the Lord had intervened, would have caused him to participate in grievous sin.

But the Lord did intervene and therein lies the lesson. Like Jesus holding out his hand to Peter when Peter allowed the circumstances around him to get inside his head (see Matthew 14:22-33), the Lord did not abandon David. The pursuit by Saul had taken its toll and David decided trusting in Yahweh’s protection was more than he could maintain. Nonetheless, the Lord pulled him through much as Jesus pulled Peter into the boat.

The promise is that the Lord will not abandon his children, even when his children act in ways that doubt his watch-care. For, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14). We shouldn’t cavalierly test his kindness, but we can trust it.