“You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. … and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” – 1 Samuel 17:45, 47
Let me set the stage. Battle lines had been drawn for several months as the Philistines, Israel’s arch-enemies, were poised to subdue the Israelites into slavery. Young David, a mere shepherd boy, was sent to the front lines to bring food to his brothers in the army. Upon seeing the fear in his brother’s eyes he asked King Saul if he could go forth and battle with Goliath (we all know who he was!). He rushes to the front line and utters these famous words in the verses above.
Please don’t miss the point of this story. It’s not about fighting against overwhelming odds or about naming and claiming victory. It’s simply about the love a little boy had for his God. You see, David didn’t see Goliath’s size, strength or skill. What he did see was someone taunting his God, the God of Israel, and that simply couldn’t be tolerated. I’m sure David reflected back to the lonely nights in the wilderness where he developed a sincere, dependent and loving relationship with God. He had learned to trust Him and follow His commands, knowing that his God would always be with him in any circumstance (even when a bear and lion tried to take his sheep).
Observe the incident from this point of view: David saw Goliath as God’s problem, not his or the Israelite army’s. He was confident that God could deal with Goliath. David realized God needed an obedient soul to carry out His will and he was more than willing to comply.
Are you dealing with a major problem, obstacle or barrier in your life right now? If so, remember God knows how to overcome, defeat and/or tear down. He’s just waiting for an obedient soul for which to work His will through. Demonstrate your faith and ask God to use you to accomplish His will. Like David, you’ll be glad you did!
In Christ,
Dave
Questions to Ponder:
- “… for the battle is the Lord’s.” These words alone conjure up fear in many people because they struggle with letting go of their problems and allowing God to fight their battles. What are some ways you can begin to “let go”?
- The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 is a famous story in the Bible. How is this story applicable to you personally?
- What is the significance of the five stones David picked up to defeat Goliath?
- What did David see in the situation that the army of Israel didn’t see? What was his perspective and how does that relate to his relationship with God?
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