Quick Note – 1 Samuel 22:4-5 – Leaving a Place of Comfort to Follow God

1 Samuel 22:4-5 – “And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.  Then the prophet Gad said to David, ‘Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.’ So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.”

About two-three years ago, I made one of the hardest moves in my life – I went to live in Bethesda, Maryland.  Now, certainly, Bethesda itself was not the reason the move was hard, for that city is a high-profile area for the wealthy and a great place for scientific and medical research (a perfect place for a scientific researcher like me), since it is the home of the National Institutes of Health.  So Bethesda was not the problem; what was difficult was that this move was the first time I ever lived away from my parents in Los Angeles, CA for an extended period of time.  I had done two ten week sessions out in Boston some summers previous, but I had never lived away from them for a year’s length of time.  I would be away from my parents, my family, my friends, and everything I ever knew to stay in a place halfway across the United States alone.  It definitely was a new experience that brought both fear and adventure, both anticipation and sadness, both loneliness and independence.  The move brought on a great big ball of various emotions, because I would be leaving a place where I felt comfortable and safe and entering into the unknown.

David was challenged with a similar ordeal in our passage today.  In 1 Samuel 22, we find David on the run from King Saul, who was looking to end David’s life for being anointed the next king of Israel.  He had found a stronghold to hide out in for the time, but without warning or explanation, the prophet Gad told David to move from this safe place to the land of Judah (vs.4-5).  There was no reason given to him why; there was no guarantee of safety somewhere else; all he was told was that God wanted him to leave the stronghold and go into Judah.  This must have been a difficult decision for David, being that he had found a safe place where he could likely settle into for the time being.  But instead of setting up shop there, David was called to wander back into Judah, where he could be captured and killed by Saul.  God was asking David to give up his newfound comfort to wander and be at risk of death again.  The funny thing is that we don’t see David question God’s plan, ask for a sign, or disobey by staying in that same place.  David immediately departed and went into the forest of Hereth.  David trusted God’s words and left a place of comfort for the unknown.  He trusted God to safely lead and guide him, just as Abraham did when he left his home in Ur for a place that God would show him (Genesis 12).  Both these Bible characters chose to trust God, leave their place of comfort, and follow His will.

As Christians, we must do the same.  Who knows where or when or if He will ask us to do so?  But if God calls us to leave a place of comfort and do His will, we must obey.  We must be like David and Abraham, trusting God to supply all our needs and to work all things according to His will.  There is no doubt in my mind that the decision to give up comfort for the unknown will be unbelievably difficult, but if God has called us to do something, the best choice is to obey.  He might call you to leave your family and go out and become a missionary in a foreign land.  He might call you to leave your comfortable high-paying job and begin working in the ministry like he did with Charles G. Finney.  He might call you to move from a growing ministry to one that needs fixing.  Who knows what God will call you from and to?  But our best response is obedience.  My fellow disciples of Christ, if God calls us from our place of security to the unknown, let us obey Him wholeheartedly, for He is faithful and will work all things together for good to them that love Him.  The “where” matters not when you know “Who” is leading.