A Legacy Of Safety In The Stronghold | 1 Samuel 22:3-5

Are you living a legacy that leaves a wake?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in Chapter 22 of 1 Samuel. I've titled this chapter "From Caves Of Distress To Community Connections."

Yesterday, David was in the Cave of Adullam, and God provided him with relationships and resources; today, he will head to the other side of the river into new territory. Let's see where he goes in 1 Samuel 22:3-5:

And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 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. — 1 Samuel 22:3-5

From the Cave of Adullam, David heads east (see map). He would have had to cross the hills and the Jordan River to reach Moab, east of Israel.

What makes this interesting is that Moabites were one of Saul's enemies, whom he had successfully opposed in Chapter 14. This begs the question, "Why did he take his family here? Haven't we just tried running to an enemy, and it did not work out so well?"

There is an intriguing answer.

David understood that he had to get his family to safety. They ran a significant risk in coming to him, so he had to take them somewhere relatively safe. Even though the Moabites were enemies to Saul, David has distant family roots in Moab. David's great-grandmother and Jesse's grandmother was a famous Moabite—Ruth (Ruth 4:13, 18–22).

Ruth’s faithfulness paid off during her day and continued to pay off more than a century later. In Ruth's lineage, David found safety for his family until Saul was gone.

Sin always leaves a wake of ongoing consequences. But so does our faithfulness. Don't underestimate the wake of your faithfulness to future generations. Your decision for Christ and the ongoing decisions you make for Christ can positively impact your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. So work out your salvation, be faithful, and live a legacy that leaves a wake felt by future generations.

#FaithfulLegacy, #DavidAndRuth, #JourneyToSafety

Ask This:
How can you identify and strengthen the community connections in your life, especially during times of distress or uncertainty? How might these relationships impact your faith journey and the faith of future generations?
Reflect on a time when you had to make a difficult decision to protect your loved ones. How did your faith guide you in that situation, and what lessons can you draw from David’s example of seeking safety for his family?
Do This:
Live a legacy that leaves a wake.

Pray This:
Father, help me trust in Your provision as I navigate life's challenges, just as David did in his time of distress. May I cultivate strong connections within my community and leave a lasting legacy of faithfulness for future generations. Amen.

Play This:
The Blessing.