“But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘“‘As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’” (2 Samuel 15:10 NASB)
It was a sad time in the life of David. His son, his own flesh and blood, has usurped his throne. Not wanting war against his own son, David humbly leaves Jerusalem: “So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom.'” (2 Samuel 15:14 NASB)
As the story unfolds, we see various people rising up to follow David. One such notable person was Ittai the Gittite.
David is worried for this Ittai and his people. He urges Ittai: “Why should you go with us? Return and stay with your king, since you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place.” (2 Samuel 15:19 NASB). Despite being a foreigner to Israel, Ittai’s allegiance to David, his loyalty to the one he considered to be his true king, is admirable: “But Ittai answered the king and said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!’” (2 Samuel 15:21 NASB). What could David do but gladly accept the companionship of such a loyal servant?
These three little verses speak a powerful message to each one of us.
First of all, we also have a king, Jesus Christ. There is someone, however, who would usurp Him from His throne. Paul speaks of him as “the god of this world”, and reminds us that just as Absalom blinded the eyes of the people of Israel and caused them to turn their allegiance from David to him, the devil does the same thing: “…in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NASB).
In like fashion, just like Ittai and his people were foreigners, each one of us is a foreigner as well: “Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers …” (1 Peter 2:11a NASB).
What do we do when this world’s self-proclaimed “god” urges us to align our allegiance to him?
We must do as Ittai did! We must follow the One True God!
What happens, however, when we are following God, and it seems like He has lost the battle? Are we willing to follow Him, even if it seems like He is fleeing the scene?
I experienced this recently. We were waiting for a bed offer for my husband in our local inpatient dementia program, one that would help him overcome the negative behaviours that made it so difficult to care for him. There was an important meeting on Friday, but by the end of the day, no one had called to give me any updates. The personal support worker who came to stay with him from time to time so that I could have a little respite called to say he would be there Saturday morning. All was good, unntil he called back to say that he had received an email saying Rob was discharged from his services. This is usually only the case when people receive a bed offer. I was puzzled that he would know about a pending bed offer before I did, but I was elated. At last my husband could receive the help he needed.
It was a long weekend, however, and I wouldn’t be able to verify this until Tuesday. It was Tuesday morning, while I was spending time with the Lord, that God spoke to me through the story of Ittai the Gittite. The message was clear: Would I follow Jesus, would I keep my eyes on Him, even when it appeared that He had lost the battle? Would I, like Ittai, follow Jesus through thick and thin?
I decided then and there that I would; and I knew at that moment that a bed offer had not been made, but the email was sent in error. Sure enough, my case manage confirmed this later that day. I wasn’t upset, however. I knew Jesus would be the ultimate victor, even if it seemed that once again He had lost the battle. I made the decision to follow the example of Ittai the Gittite!
Is anyone surprised that despite this thwarting of my hopes, I had total peace?
This is the question we must all ask ourselves when we’ve put our faith in Jesus, yet it seems things are going the wrong way. Will we follow Him through the thick and the thin? Even if it seems like He is fleeing the scene? We must remember that His ways are beyond our understanding, and His ways are always best (See Isaiah 55:9)!
The very next day, before 9:00 AM, my husband got the bed offer. I realized that I could have spent the previous 24 hours worrying and fretting; but because I had decided to follow Jesus through thick and thin, that 24 hour period was filled with peace.
What are you praying about? Does it seem like God is abandoning the situation completely? Be like Ittai the Gittite. Be prepared to keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter what the circumstances dictate. When you do, you, too will be able to navigate the rest of the storm in total peace!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
