1 Samuel 20:22 KJV – “But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the Lord hath sent thee away.”
King Saul’s plan to kill David was known by Jonathan and David, so they agreed upon a plan. Like smoke signals sent by an Indian atop a hill, Jonathan was to send a message to David. As David hid in the grass, Jonathan would launch arrows. If the arrows fell beyond David, the message was run! But, if the arrows fell short, David could come home knowing all was well with Saul.
Jonathan’s arrows were to determine David’s fate, yet there was no randomness in this. The tension Jonathan applied to the bow, the arrow’s trajectory, and the prevailing wind was under God’s direct control. Either David would return to the familiar surroundings of Saul’s court or be exiled as an outcast, totally dependent upon the mercy of God. One way or the other, it was God’s path for David—a path that eventually led the future king to the throne of Israel.
When Jonathan’s arrows sailed over David’s head, tears must have flowed down his cheeks as he realized that he was now a fugitive from the madman Saul. Yet in this, David was to learn a glorious truth: God is in the arrows of life.
You may be in David’s sandals today, weeping as you go, but there is no cause for fear, for scripture declares, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). Trust God’s determination to bring you safely to where He desires. He has a crown awaiting your eventual arrival before His throne.
Awaiting His Return,
– Pastor Jack
