As I was watching some of last night’s news I was reminded of the miraculous story of David and Goliath.
Goliath was a bully. He cursed God and the army of the Israelites who represented God. To both armies, the Israelites and the Philistines, David was a young, unimpressive, naïve teenager.
But in God’s view David was a giant slayer!
Goliath trusted in his experience in battle, his sword, his spear, his size. David trusted in His relationship with the Lord.
“When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. 43 ‘Do you think I’m a dog?’ Goliath asked. ‘Is that why you’ve come after me with a stick?’ He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods 44 and shouted, ‘Come on! When I’m finished with you, I’ll feed you to the birds and wild animals!’
“David answered: ‘You’ve come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I’ve come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel’s army, and you have insulted him too! 46 Today the Lord will help me defeat you… 47 Everybody here will see that the Lord doesn’t need swords or spears to save his people. The Lord always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you.'” I Samuel 17:42-47 CEV
I encourage you to read the whole story in I Samuel 17.
David went to the battlefield to take nourishment to his brothers. At the encampment, he found an army literally shaking in their boots as they were taunted by their enemy. He saw an incompetent king who didn’t know what to do. The king was so desperate that he agreed to let an inexperienced teenager, single-handedly fight the opposing army’s star warrior.
The opposing army was just as afraid to fight and more than willing to let their “hero” represent them in battle. The hero was self-confident; he had never been defeated.
David was a shepherd with no battlefield experience. What he had was a confidence in the God of Israel.
Let me explain…all Israelite male babies were circumcised when they were eight days old. This had been done since the time of Abraham and circumcision was a sign that God would always be the protector and provider for all of Abraham’s descendants. David took this promise of God to heart – he believed that whatever he encountered God was with him and would protect him.
“‘Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you.’” I Samuel 17:36-37 NIV
David knew Goliath had no covenant promise with God and so Goliath would be no match for the power of God working in his life.
You may be feeling like you are facing a giant, something big, something unnerving. You have the same promise from God that David did. God will never abandon you.
Go out against your giant and let God fight for you!