Vertical Limit

“Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, ‘You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.’” (2 Samuel 5:23)

In the 2000 movie Vertical Limit, Chris O’Donnell is a mountain climber who must rescue his sister on top of K2, one of the world’s biggest mountains. We may not climb mountains, but as we engage horizontally with others, we need to stay vertical with God. King David grew up as a shepherd boy to became Israel’s greatest king and warrior. He responded to opportunities and stepped up to the plate when no one would fight the nine feet six giant Goliath. David ultimately became king of Israel and faced many battles.

David learned an important lesson that each of us should learn because the greatest danger is engaging ourselves in activities in which God never intended us to be involved. When the Philistines attacked David, he always inquired of God as to if and when he was to counterattack. When he was attacked a second time, David inquired of God as to whether he was to launch a counteroffensive. This time God said yes, but told David to wait until “you hear the sound of marching in the top of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” (2 Samuel 5:24)

This story in the Second Book of Samuel tells us that David had learned an important lesson about Vertical Limit, about staying vertical in his relationship with God at all times. David had learned the important principle of staying focused on what God wanted for him, not what seemed reasonable or even logical to the human mind. David was an opportunist, but only through the eyes of the Holy Spirit of God in his life.

We may not read the National Enquirer, but our enquiring minds should want to know what God has to say about a matter that confronts us. We should approach opportunities not just by considering the merits, costs, and pros and cons, but also by inquiring of God as to whether He desires for us to pursue them. It may sound wonderful and may even be profitable, but it may not be God’s will for us to be involved.

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