“Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.” (1Sa 23:13 AV)
Sometimes you just have to go whatever way you can go. David was holding up in a cave of a forest. Saul had found him and surrounded him. The armies of his father-in-law were closing in and there was little to know escape. Then word came that the Philistines had invaded a portion of Israel. Saul’s armies left. But as one can imagine, it wasn’t in a straight line. These troops had to move off in different directions for a short space and then unite at some further field. This meant that David’s escape could not be in a straight or broad way. He had to leave by whatever trail opened up at the time. The circumstances dictated his best choice. Short-term choices were guided by his circumstances and not long-term planning. Reaction to circumstances is sometimes all that you can do.
Not to overuse an example, but those who have spent a good deal in the woods know this principle. When the forest surrounds you, options are limited. When blow-downs, boulders, or thickets are in your way, there are few directions you can go. Sometimes it doesn’t end as you’d expect. You wonder if another choice would have been better. There is no way to know that, so you live with your choice and go on. Many years ago, I took my pastor hunting at our family’s property. It was a place of thick woods and overgrowth. It sat on top of a hill. A fact I somehow forget. We enjoyed our time in the woods, and it was time to get back to the vehicle. For twenty-plus years of being there, the common choice was to head downhill. The problem with that tack was the property sat atop a hill where any direction was downhill. I believed I was going in the right direction all the time. Then what should have been a short walk became a long walk. We came out of the woods ninety-degrees and two miles further than we should have. As the woods closed in, the choices became less. But here is the thing. We were just fine. No, it wasn’t the direction I intended to go, but it all turned out in the end.
David’s hand was forced. Just because there were few options did not mean he was trapped. I am sure it felt that way. As he went further and further and the choices became less and less, perhaps he questioned his own judgment. Maybe he second-guessed his decision to go left when he might have gone right. He did the best that he could have, given the circumstances at hand. They went wherever they could. David was a good leader because he made choices. Sometimes those choices were not the best. But he made them and lived with them. The thing is, when life is overwhelming and it seems that decisions kind of make themselves, thank God who is the One who controls it all. When all we can see are the next few steps, then praise the LORD that our minds are not overwhelmed by the possibilities. It is God’s way of directing our path without much mental occupation. We can take solace in the circumstances because it makes walking that path a bit easier. They went wherever they could. Because it was the only way to go. Praise the LORD that He sometimes restricts our choices and simply points the only way. Praise the LORD.
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