2009 – Day 118.Apr. 29 – Cave Dwellers

2009 – Day 118.Apr. 29 – Cave Dwellers

Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 22: 3 – 23 … 1st Sam. 22 linked for study …

Added Passage: Psalm 34: … Linked for study …

My Journal for Today: If you were with me yesterday, you saw that Chuck Swindoll took us to three Psalms which were written while David and his mighty men were in the Cave out near En Gedi (see our passage in 1st Samuel 22 and 1st Sam. 24: 1 – 3). And as you read the apparent sequence of David’s attitude transformation from Ps. 142 and Ps. 52, we come to Psalm 34; and we read of a man, a leader of men, who could have “caved” (pardon the pun) to despair or disillusionment; but he didn’t.

No, David may have been in the cave; but the cave didn’t get into David. David chose to put his eyes on His Lord, just as we should when we’ve been led into the caves of life. Perhaps, as you read this, you are in an economic cave, surrounded by the coldness of privation. Perhaps it’s an emotional cave based on some relational brokenness. Perhaps, you’ve come to a spiritual cave where things seem very dark and where God seems very far away or just not there at all. We all have times when we feel like we’re backed into a dark, cold, and dreary cave in life.

BUT, in those moments we can choose to “cave” to our own fears and our flesh, or we can, as did David, exercise our faith in The Lord. Read back through Psalm 34, especially if you’re in a cave right now. Let the hopefulness give you light and warmth; and add to it the truth of passages like Isaiah 41: 10 or Romans 8: 31. And even more with the reality of Deut. 31: 6 or Hebrews 13: 5, you can, like David, realize that God is right there with you in your cave; and He will never forsake you.

God doesn’t promise that we won’t be led into the caves of life; but He does promise to be there with us and to give us the strength to bear up in those cave times of life (see 1st Cor. 10: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9). And these truths and promises are the lights which I’ve memorized over the years which shine light into my caves when I find myself in one. They give me warmth to overcome the shivering cold. They let me know that my God will never abandon me to go it alone. And when I realize that, even in the cave, I have God to give me the warmth and light of His love.

My Prayer for Today: Shine your Light, Lord; … give me Your warmth; and I will walk out of the cave WITH YOU. Amen