No Such Thing as a Fair Fight~

Ok, I’ll admit it, I watch The Celebrity Apprentice.  I especially enjoy watching someone step up to the plate and say they will be Project Manager.  It’s a leadership role that is loaded with responsibility; more often than not, if the Project Manager’s team loses the task, he or she is the one who gets fired.  At the beginning of each episode, after the task is explained, Mr. Trump asks each team who will lead them.  Sometimes a person volunteers, and when that happens, everyone else on the team is relieved and Mr. Trump will say, “Ok. Get out of here!”

This is what happened in David’s case.  After he confidently states his credentials, King Saul had only one reasonable response: "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!" (1 Samuel 17:37).

And without further adieu, David “took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, and with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” (v.40)

It is kind of laughable that someone would go confront a man over nine feet tall with five stones and a slingshot, but 1 Corinthians 1:27 explains that “God chooses what the world considers weak to put what is strong to shame.”  

Goliath’s reaction shows he was insulted.  “He looked at David and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.  ‘Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? Come here and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” (vs 42-44).

Goliath was looking for an actual fight; he was not expecting this peach-fuzzed face to be much of a challenge.  The truth is both these men were champions in their own right, and to the naked eye, Goliath seemed to have the upper hand.  But there was one glaring enormous difference between them, and I am not talking about their size: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.” (vs 45-47). 

When God is on our side, there is no such thing as a fair fight.  Nothing and no one can come even remotely close to out powering our Lord.  David against Goliath? Goliath wins.  David, as a humble servant who allows God to fight through him against Goliath? Goliath is going down!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, when we face the messes of life alone, we will lose.  But with You, the Lord Almighty on our side, with You fighting the battle, we have victory!  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

The Teeth of the Lion, The Claws of the Bear, and Philistines~

1 Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him Who gives me strength.”

Last time we checked, David the shepherd boy had volunteered to fight the giant.  King Saul tried to dissuade him, reminding him that Goliath had been a “warrior” since his youth, but “David persisted.”   He was only a boy but he was a prepared one; even though his title was shepherd and not warrior, David had confronted some things in his past that equipped him to face Goliath. 

I Samuel 17: 34-37 David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive.  God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.”

Glory hallelujah!  That’s an inspiring response if ever I have heard one! David is so confident because he has a proven track record with God. 

A few years ago I had a friend whose son was being tested for testicular cancer.  She was so calm that it actually unnerved me.  I flat out asked her one day how she could have so much peace, and her response both blessed me and made me feel like a faithless ding dong.  “Yenise, God has done so much for me already that I know He will help me no matter what the diagnosis is.”  Her son, praise God, DID NOT have cancer, but that conversation has stuck with me all these years, and so I ask: Has God ever delivered us from something before?  YES YES YES HE HAS, which is why, like David, and like my friend, we can face any threats that come our way.      

Notice, however, that while David did the wringing and killing, he credits God with being the One who delivered him.  Other versions of the Bible say, “God rescued me,” and “God saved me.  David also credits God for the positive outcome he expects when he goes out to fight Goliath. 

There are things we have to do, and some of those things include facing lions, bears, and Philistines.  But God is with us each step of the way, and He will deliver, rescue, and save us.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that You are a Deliverer, a Rescuer, and a Savior.  We face so many things in our lives, but You equip us to handle it all. The teeth of the lion the claws of the bear, and Philistines are no match for us with You on our side! In Jesus’ name, AMEN~  

But David Persisted...

Hebrews 10:30 “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”

How do we overcome the “Goliaths” in our lives? We follow the example of a young shepherd boy named David.  He was the youngest of eight boys, and his three older brothers had already joined the army and were among those who were fearful of Goliath.  David’s job was to tend sheep and run errands.  One day his dad asked him to take some bread and cheese to his brothers and their captain, and that simple request changed the course of the battle.

When David arrived with the gifts, it was just in time to “hear Goliath shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.” (I Samuel 17:23)  David witnessed the Israeli army running away in fright.  He was shocked and asked, “Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” (v.26)

David asks a great question!  How dare anyone or anything, much less a pagan, be allowed to confront, mock, oppose, provoke, ridicule, dishonor, and insult the armies – in our case – the children – of the living God?

And yet, when challenged, I ran away in fear.  Ooops! I mean, they ran away in fear.   Sometimes we do that, don’t we?  Facing the opponent is something we would rather not do. 

Nevertheless, David’s question was so thought-provoking that the king sent for him.  As soon as David meets with the king he says, ‘Don’t worry about this Philistine. I’ll go fight him!” (v. 32)  King Saul replied, “Don’t be ridiculous! There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” (v.33) “But David persisted…” (v.34)

Important truth of the day: When Goliath comes at you, even if everyone around you is running away or telling you it can’t be done, determine in your heart that you will fight anyway.    

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You expect us, Your children, to fight our enemies.  You expect us to stand up to anything or anyone that comes against us or our families.  Renew that fighting spirit within us.  We will not give in or give up.  Thank you that prayer is our number one, most effective weapon.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~