The Chase

“David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.” - 1 Samuel 23:14

1 Samuel 19 marks the beginning of “The Chase”. The next twelve chapters are devoted to one of the most famous chases in history - King Saul's pursuit of David. For FOUR years David was on the run. With an evil spirit in Saul, he is relentless in his pursuit to kill the innocent David. Here in 1 Samuel 23:14, we get a glimpse into God's purposes in the chase, who Jesus is in the chase, and what it means for us today.

I don't know about you, but I get the distinct feeling that somebody or something that doesn't like me, is after me. Do you ever feel like you're being chased? Chased by the enemy Satan as he puts lies and thoughts in your mind so he can get to your heart and stop you in your tracks? Chased by him as he uses temptations to take you off your game? Maybe you feel like you're being chased by an overactive conscience, or chased by lustful thoughts, vengeful thoughts, unforgiving thoughts, murderous thoughts, angry thoughts, greedy thoughts, hateful thoughts, jealous and envious thoughts? All of which the enemy uses to his advantage. Maybe you’re being persecuted for your faith? Maybe an actual person in your life is pursuing you, smearing you, and trying to take your peace of mind from you?

Here's what we need to know from 1 Samuel 23:14: God did not give David into Saul's hands, BUT he didn't stop Saul from chasing him. God will not give you into the enemy's hand, BUT he won't stop the enemy from chasing you. Why?

Dependence
Throughout those four years, David boldly talks to God, inquires of him, and cries out to Him. Several of his Psalms were written during the chase (Psalms 7, 27, 31, 34, 52). David also learned about and experienced God's grace and providence. It's in the chase where we depend most on God, where we inquire of him and seek him. God likes to keep us uncomfortable because he knows if we are comfortable, we will drift from him and depend less on him. The chase is where we learn humility, depend on, and experience God's grace and providence. Maybe it's the very chase that is getting you to talk to God, to inquire of Him. Maybe the chase is where you're hearing from him. Maybe the chase is what's getting you to chase after Him! Maybe the chase is getting you to write your own psalms to God. God will not give you into the enemy's hands, but He won't stop the enemy from chasing you so you will depend on God. 

Obedience
Throughout those four years, David was often stranded, jumping from place to place. Through it all, David had to learn to listen to God and obey Him. David often listened and made the obedient decisions, but he didn’t always listen and make the obedient decisions. The chase is where we learn to listen to God and obey him. We won't always make the obedient decisions, but as we live in repentance and faith, God will work everything for our good, as He did for David. So God will not give you into the enemy's hands, but He won't stop the enemy from chasing you so you will learn how to listen to God and obey Him.

Preparation
Through those four years, David  grew in dependence on God, he learned obedience, and God prepared him. Through those four years, God was teaching David and drawing him closer to himself, and preparing him for what was next. God had an anointing coming for David. In the chase, God was preparing this lowly shepherd boy for kingship over His people Israel. The chase preceded the anointing. God has something great for you beyond the chase. The chase is preparing you for what is next in God's purposes for your life. In the Bible, when you see hardship in the lives of God's people, it's almost always to prepare them for what He has next. It may feel like you're being torn down in the chase, but everything God does in His people is to build and redeem. So God will not give you into the enemy's hands, but He won't stop the enemy from chasing you so He can prepare you for what is next in His purposes for you.

Jesus was Chased
The Father never gave His Son Jesus into the enemy's hands, BUT he didn’t stop them from chasing His Son, even to death on the cross. From the moment Jesus was born, he was chased by Herod. When Jesus was baptized, Satan turned up his pursuit of him in the wilderness temptation. During his ministry, Jesus was chased by the religious Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus knows what it’s like to be pursued by forces and people that don’t like his identity or his mission. He faced the same things we face in our flesh, minds, and hearts. In the chase, Jesus depended on the Father completely, he “could do nothing of his own accord” (John 5:19). Jesus “learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9). In it all, the Father was preparing him for the throne. The Father gave Jesus authority over all in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). In the chase, Jesus was never once outside the Father’s great purposes, neither was David, and it’s the same for us.

Saul was against David, but David knew that Somebody was also for Him. It's the same for us. I know something is against me, but I also know because of my faith in Christ, God is for me. The best thing for David was being chased with God sustaining him. It's the same for us. Being chased and under the wings of God's presence is a better position for us to be in than not being chased at all and without God’s presence. The chase feels oppressive. In Christ, you will suffer, but God will uphold and sustain you. He may not stop the enemy from chasing you, BUT he won’t give you into his hand. In the chase, he's teaching you about Jesus and how to chase him, how to depend on him. He’s teaching you obedience through your suffering. He’s growing you into the likeness of Christ. He's preparing you to be a person ready-made for what is next in your life and the eternal inheritance ahead. When you start pursuing Jesus, what's chasing you will eventually be left in the dust. It's only a matter of time. The chase will not endure. There was an end to Saul's pursuit of David. There was an end to the worlds pursuit of Jesus. There will be an end to your chase. The enemy can outlast you but the enemy can't outlast God. Embrace the chase.

Prayer: Father, I know that I always just want my life to be easy and comfortable and I often just want you to take away the things that are chasing me. But I see that in your purposes, there is a better way through the chase remaining. Help me to embrace the chase, to recognize what you're doing in me through it, and walk in confidence that you are with me in the chase. But ultimately to understand in a heart-level way that the chase is all for Jesus and his glory, and nothing can be better for me than God's glory being manifested in my life.