In 2 Samuel 15:19-23 as David fled Jerusalem from his son Absalom he viewed the procession of men that wanted to go with him and there was one fellow that caught his eye: Ittai the Gittite, and the reason for this was that he was a new arrival in Israel, and in following David he was following an uncertain future.
Now it is interesting to note that his name means “with the Lord.” “Why are you also going with us?” David couldn’t understand why this newly-arrived foreigner should risk such loyalty to him, so he says, “Hey buddy, you’re in the wrong line; you need to go with the king Absalom; it’ll be better for you and your family. If you hang with me, I’m only going to make it harder on you, so go on back!”
Ittai went with king David publicly, voluntarily, even when he knew that following king David would bring him difficulties. Why? Well, Ittai wanted to be “with the Lord” because of His character, not just for how being with a king would benefit him. Oh to God, you and I would pledge the words of Ittai in verse 21: “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be. ”Now we get some insight into why Ittai was willing to follow the king, as he said, “as the Lord lives.” It seems as though God had worked in the life of David in one day by observing his life that he already had come to know the living God through the things he had witnessed. What had he witnessed? Brokenness, humility, trust, and love of God and of His people in spite of their fickleness.
Clearly, Ittai was joining himself to a person, not to an office; he was following a person no matter what the consequences. Listen up, there will come a time in everyone’s life when those who profess to know the KING will sense Him leading them away from the city and comfort that they have come to expect, and it will be then you will see if you have been following the office or the person! Will we say to Him and to all, “In whatever place my Lord the King shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be?”