Series Summary
So far in our series on David, we've seen him anointed as the future king of Israel. He courageously killed Goliath, the Philistine giant, which made him famous throughout the land. However, this fame sparked jealousy and paranoia in King Saul, who began chasing David with the intent to kill him. David spent years as a fugitive, hiding from Saul's relentless pursuit. Today, we focus on one pivotal moment in this story—a decision David makes that teaches us about trusting God and refusing shortcuts through suffering.

The Moment of Temptation
Imagine the scene: David and his men are hiding deep in a cave in the Desert of En Gedi. Saul, with 3,000 chosen soldiers, is searching for David to kill him. Unknowingly, Saul enters the very same cave to relieve himself. David's men whisper excitedly, seeing this as a divine opportunity to end their suffering.

1 Samuel 24:1-4 (NIV):
After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”

What would you do in David's position?

Flashbacks flood his mind: Saul hurling spears at him while he played the harp to soothe the king; being sent into dangerous battles hoping he'd die; Saul ordering his son Jonathan and servants to assassinate David; escaping from his own home as Saul tried to kill him there; living in exile among enemies in Gath, where David pretended to be insane by making marks on doors and letting saliva run down his beard; worrying about his parents' safety; and the horrific massacre Saul ordered—killing 85 priests, along with an entire town including women, children, and animals. Years of running, hiding, and suffering—all because of this one man.

David stands there, looking at Saul, knowing that if the roles were reversed, Saul would kill him without hesitation.

Killing wasn't foreign to David; he had slain thousands in battle. One more kill, and it could all be over. His men even suggest this must be God's plan!

David's Choice: No Shortcuts
You might think you'd do it—end the threat right there. But David doesn't. Instead, he creeps up and cuts off a corner of Saul's robe, then his conscience strikes him even for that. He orders his men not to harm Saul, recognizing that this is not God's way.

In this act, David shows profound trust in God and patience amid suffering. He refuses to take a shortcut to the throne, even though it means more running, hiding, and potential bloodshed.

David understands that the means matter as much as the end.

We cannot achieve godly outcomes by ignoring God's ways.

Taking the shortcut might get you to the goal faster, but it compromises integrity and faith.

David joins a long line of faithful people who refuse to bypass suffering to follow God.

Sometimes, following God's way leads to being crushed. We need an example for those times.

Jesus' Example: The Ultimate Refusal of Shortcuts
Eugene Peterson, in his book The Jesus Way, reflects on Jesus' temptation after His anointing and before beginning His ministry:

"We give close attention to what is going on in the testing and tempting of Jesus and note that the devil does not suggest that Jesus in any way renounce his call, turn back to something simpler, avoid responsibility, deny the validity of his baptism, or doubt the voice from heaven. The devil is content to leave the matter of ends – the goal, the purpose, the grand work of salvation – uncontested. His tempting is devoted exclusively to ways, to the means that are best suited to accomplish the end to which Jesus is the way."

Matthew 4:8-10 (NIV):
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

We might think Jesus wasn't truly tempted, but remember the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed for the cup to pass from Him. Leaning into His humanity, we see the temptation's reality: Have it all, end the suffering, get the outcome without the cross. But Jesus knew that ends not achieved in God's way are not His way at all.

Conclusion: Faithfulness in Obedience
There's no formula, timeline, or promise of prosperity here. This isn't a prosperity gospel—we have no guarantees of unlocking God's favor through steps.

What we have is this: Jesus is good and beautiful.
Along with many others and the witness of Scripture, I've found Him faithful.
Jesus demonstrates that a life of obedience to God, even unto death, brings glory to God. It's a life that cannot be crushed—a life the grave cannot hold.

Jesus invites us to unite with Him and follow His way. Even if we're crushed, His resurrection will be ours.

God is your refuge; when He is, there's no cave deep enough to hide from His rescue. He thundered down for Jesus, storming the grave. Though we're not righteous, Jesus is—and God storms every cave for those in His Son. If He allows death, our hope is He will storm the grave for us too.

He's coming for you. Don't stop doing the right thing. Even if you're crushed, that's our hope—He's storming the grave!

Psalm 18 (NIV)
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1 I love you, Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.