David was a great king. He was a man after God’s own heart. He was a warrior. David’s time on the battlefield, however, was not always a time of victory and parades. There were times in David’s life, particularly when Saul was pursuing him, that he was running and hiding. He was not the pursuer – He was the hunted. Sometimes we feel like that, don’t we? We feel like we’re being hunted down by sin, addiction, bills, worries, etc. We’re running and hiding out in caves of insecurity and doubt. Questioning the purpose of our life and whether or not God even cares about our situation. Other times we do what King David did when he was before the servants of Achish, king of Gath….
David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish King of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 1 Sam 21:12-13
…. we find ourselves in enemy territory with no place to hide so we do the next thing that comes to mind. We change our appearance. David acted crazy to lead them to believe he was not the man they thought he was. Sometimes we do the same thing. We act crazy. Not ”psycho” crazy – but we do crazy stuff like blending in with the crowd. We change our speech to match those around us. We change our convictions ”temporarily” to better fit the environment.
All out of fear.
King David was a man after God’s heart. To me, that statement always seems strange in a way, knowing some of the mistakes that David made. But it also brings comfort because, even though I can really make a mess of things sometimes, I know God still has a plan for my life. Even though I become afraid and may even doubt God at times, He will restore me and rescue me when I come to my senses and trust His word. Even when I am pursued by some of my greatest foes and feel the need to hide, He will be my hiding place and will defend me – if I will allow Him. Thanks, King David, for showing me that an imperfect man can still reflect the heart of God.
The King's Men 