The Rock of Escape - A word for those in distress

1 Samuel 23:20 - "So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape."

Have you ever felt like you're on the run from life and the enemy of your souls? In 1 Samuel 22-24 that’s exactly what we see David doing in keeping one step ahead of King Saul. For months David and those who allied themselves to him hid in cities, caves and out of reach places. For those who are true believers in Jesus Christ, there are provisions of grace always available in times of distress - whether they be prayer, the scriptures or God's hand of protection, as we see in David's life (1 Samuel 22:4, 23:1-5, 10-12, 14). 

David was God called and God walled. In fact we see David and his men being pursued by Saul and his men around the base of a mountain. Saul and his army on one side and David and his troops on the other side. God's hand was on David again for we read in 1 Samuel 23:20 - "So Saul returned from pursuing David and went to meet the Philistines; therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape." 

Isn't that who Jesus Christ is? Your Rock of Escape? Like King David, we learn to wait upon the Lord and to base our decisions primarily not upon what is seen, but unseen, for that is how faith operates. (Hebrews 11:1) At one point Jesus spells out the principle that if you and I are faithful in the small things, He will give us opportunity to be faithful in much. 

Like David, we too must learn to be faithful in times of distress in order to be ready to live in times of comfort. If we look to Jesus as our Rock of escape when times are hard, we will be trained spiritually to not abandon him when times are easy. You can always look to Jesus and His Words to bring your comfort, protection and hope in your time of need. As He says in Luke 16:17 "It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the law to fail."