Cave Sweet Cave: The Happy Place?

I Samuel 22:1-2
David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam, so when his brothers and all his father's family heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

Talk about going to your happy place.....
This wasn't it.
David, the future king of Israel, is running for his life. So where does he run to? A cave. O.k....not a  bad choice. He's hidden. No one knows he's there. Right. Then the family decides to go visit him because they are falling under the same treatment David is receiving. King Saul has the spin machine in high gear pumping out false information about clan David.  

So we have this incredible family reunion here in this dark, dank, damp cave. Not. You need to remember that these were the same brothers who were giving David a hard time during the whole "Goliath" thing. He was the youngest, so I'm sure there was a lot of "Why didn't you just mind your own business." and "See what you've gotten us into."  I don't much think the old cave of Adullam was a happy place.  

Now if that wasn't bad enough, suddenly all these other folks started showing up. Let's call them friends of David. Too bad they didn't have the FRAMILY plan back then or everyone could have cashed in.  This last group of people.......well, they were a unique bunch. Scripture divides them into "colorful" categories.

1.) Everyone who was in distress: Those who were suffering emotional stress and anxiety.  "How long have we got to stay here?" "Are we there yet?"  "How come I have to sleep in the back of the cave? I'm claustrophobic!" "Oy Vey!"  A group that had no answers for their own problems and was looking for a sympathetic shoulder to whine on. 

2.) Everyone who was in debt: we're not talking about running from the bill collectors. We're talking about slavery for failure to pay the debt. We talking about prison. The kind of prison where they lock you up and then forget about you. No...really they forget about you.  Two jailer's talking. First jailer: "What ever happen to that guy they brought in 7 weeks ago? Is he still here? Have you fed him or given him water?" Second jailer: "What guy?" SO there was a high level of stress among this group. They wanted to be at the back of the cave. They wanted to be hidden so they couldn't be seen by anyone in case the phone rung or the collection agency came by to collect. "Pssst! Tell them we're not here."

3.) Everyone who was discontented: This was probably the largest group. To me, this is the funniest one of all. They are discontented, so what do they do? Go live in a cave. I'm sure the contentment level ran high there. "Oh honey! It's so good to get away from that hum drum life of keeping house and fixing meals, not to mention raising the kids. Thank you for dragging me out here in the middle of no where. I just love what you've done with this cave. For the first time in our marriage, I am content."

Yep, I'm sure old David might have been plotting to find himself another cave. A smaller cave where no one could join him. But he didn't cause God had other plans. 
Sometimes it is best to pull aside and spend time with God when we find ourselves in emotional turmoil. That little voice in our head keeps telling you to push ahead, keep working. And God is saying, "Stop and spend time with Me."

I do know this. A group of very dysfunctional people went into that cave. But when they came out, they carried the title of "Mighty men". Something happened during their time there. Something changed. David got his priorities straight. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was not to harm or kill Saul, because he was still God's anointed. It was up to God to deal with Saul, not David.

Sometimes we need to lay everything down and go deep into the cave of our heart and allow God's Holy Spirit to reveal the things that we are still holding on to. Attitudes and thoughts that do not honor God. Such is hard to do for someone who has been a follower of Jesus for a number of years. We don't like to admit that we still have "Stuff" that needs to come out. When we refuse to deal with such, we have a tendency to hide behind religion. That is never a good thing, because when we do, we open the door for the devil to ransack our "cave".

While the trip in to our "cave" is necessary from time to time to bring correction, God never intended us to live there. He never meant for us to hide there. The cave trip is simply a course correction so we can move ahead in our life. That God! He just beats all, you know it?

God on you....
mb