For many people, running away is often seen as a sign of cowardice and a lack of strength. People running away from a fight appear to be the weaker, more inferior person, but in reality it's not always that way.

As we see in the life of young David before he became Israel's king, when God is in the equation, a God-ordained retreat is a blessing and is useful in preparing you for your next season in life.

A Quick Surge

David's life quickly took a turn when God wanted him to be Israel's next king.

•  In 1 Samuel 16 we read of him as a shepherd boy who was almost overlooked by a prophet simply because he didn't look special. Yet God took notice of him and had the prophet anoint him as Israel's up-and-coming king (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13).

•  In the same chapter we read him being given a special role inside the king's chamber. When David plays the harp, the spirit that tormented King Saul would depart. This allowed David to get the king's favour (see 1 Samuel 16:21).

•  In the next chapter, we read of his famous victory over the giant named Goliath, a war-machine of a Philistine, using nothing but a slingshot and an unusual confidence in the Lord of hosts (see 1 Samuel 17:41-51).

•  In the following chapters, however, we read of King Saul getting increasingly jealous of the young man who started as a simple shepherd and has now become Israel's famous harp-player and giant-slayer. He then tries to kill David, who was able to run away with the help of his own son Jonathan and daughter Michal.

And thus begins David's season of running away.

When Running Away Is Inspired By God

David's life gives us the idea that it's not always wrong to run away. David had reasons to run away, and it's simply because it wasn't time for him to be Israel's king just yet:

•  King Saul wanted to kill him and will indeed kill him;

•  David didn't want to harm King Saul for he feared the Lord; and

•  Although God already anointed David, it wasn't time for him to sit on the throne.

Friends, there are times when God will literally "hide" His people for a special purpose. During Jezebel's time, He told Elijah that He had "reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (see 1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4).

God does preserve His people for His purposes.

Learning From David's Escape

Friends, David's escape from Saul teaches us various things.

•  First, we should learn to wait upon the Lord, and humble ourselves down to the point of not doing anything ahead of God's timing for our lives;

•  Second, we shouldn't force our way into making His plans come to pass. It's "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," said God in Zechariah 4:6; and

•  Third, we should never do anything sinful even when we are persecuted for following and obeying God.

Let's learn to trust God in our circumstances, and wait on Him to fulfill His purposes for us as we obey and follow Him.