Hanging With the Preachers

“So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.” (1Sa 19:18 AV)

David shows a lot of wisdom here.  He could have fled back to his father’s house, explained the situation, and asked for sanctuary.  However, he chooses to go to the man of God.  From there, the man of God takes David to men his own age who are studying for the ministry.  Naioth is a school of the prophets.   It is just outside the area of Ramah; the home of Samuel and Saul.  The name Naioth means dwellings.  It was here Samuel had established a complex to house those men indicating a call to the office of prophet.  It would be here they would study the scriptures so they could discern between the voice of God and their own feelings or thoughts.  David was found among the men called to be prophets.  He would see what faith truly was and the power of the hand of God upon his enemies.  He would see three waves of Saul’s armies turned into prophets and Saul himself strip naked and prophesy.  David would go in the strength of this fellowship until the LORD brought to him others of like faith and passion.  When we are in trouble, the best place to be is around God’s people.  And even more of a blessing is to be around God’s servants.

In my early Christian life, I had the privilege of fellowship with preachers.  It is something I would encourage everyone to experience a few times in their lifetime.  My pastor at the time, Skip Tilton, would take me along to preacher’s fellowships.  One particular meeting still affects me even to this day.  Twenty some years later.  It was in Dansville, NY.  The church was a remodeled barn.  On the outside, it didn’t look like much.  The parking lot was dirt and stone.  But the first thing I notices was the volume of the signing that emanated from that building.  No gang banger car stereo could out blast this crowd.  The building literally shook from volume of human voices sing the old-fashioned hymns.  The preaching was nothing I had ever experienced before.  Then came the fellowship afterwards.  Preachers from all around were in the basement fellowship area sharing their burdens, blessings, and befuddlement.  They sought counsel from one another, but at the same time, encouraged one another.  To hear them speak of the things of ministry as though it was a normal part of life was eye-opening for me!

That evening, and others like it, changed me forever.  I realized that ministry was normal and other pursuits of life were not.  I learned there were men out there who would brave a cruel and challenging world for the sake of the Savior and do so with determination and joy.  I learned that even though my life at the time may have had troubles and trials, they do not compare, nor ever will, to the trails a man of God experiences.  I learned that my troubles, although to me were significant, to the man of God who had to fight the devil every day, didn’t seem all that large.  It would be an experience to hang with some faithful soldiers of Christ!  It would do us good.  It would grow our faith.  It was give us a definite change of perspective and the battle would become vastly more real.  Hang with the men of God.  It will change your life!