GOING IT ALONE

1 Samuel 22:1-5
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

David at the Cave of Adullam

1 So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. 2 Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

3 Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” 4 So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.

5 One day the prophet Gad told David, “Leave the stronghold and return to the land of Judah.” So David went to the forest of Hereth.

A story is told of a boy who valiantly, but unsuccessfully, attempted to move a heavy log to clear a pathway to his favorite hideout. His dad stood quietly nearby, watching his son straining against the load. Finally he said, “Son, why aren’t you using all of your strength?”

Confused and a little angry, the boy responded, “Dad, I’m using every last little bit of strength I have.”

“No, son, you’re not,” his dad quietly responded. “You haven’t asked me to help.”

David possessed the foresight to know that he couldn’t go it alone. He sought to build others’ trust in him. Form healthy alliances. Encourage others to step forward and help you. God never designed us to go it alone.