I want to go back to the topic of Giants again. Yeah, I know there’s been a few recent devotionals that touched on it. But I keep coming back to it. So here we are again, digging into the theme of Giants. I was thinking about David and his encounter with Goliath. But what captured my heart was David’s engagement with Goliath liberated David’s fellow soldiers to step up and fight, too.
Before David volunteered to fight the giant, the Israelite army was positioned to fight but did not have the faith to fight. Translation, they were afraid of Goliath. No, they were terrified!!
I used to think the soldiers were a bunch of jelly-backed, weak-kneed wimps. How could they be the army backed by the King of Kings and still be afraid when God was on their side? These men were by no means wimps. They were accustomed to fighting. They were well-oiled, heavily trained-for-the-job soldiers who’d seen battles before. They were dressed for the job, had enough people, and showed up on the battlefield. But this time, they were crippled by what they were up against.
Have you ever been out on the battlefield of life and run up against something so much larger than you that you go limp with fear for a moment? I recalled treacherous seasons in my life where my once bounding faith dwindled to a microscopic level compared to the drama I was experiencing. I had faith, but this situation left me gasping for air, and emotional rigor mortis slowly worked its way through my heart.
The Israelite army needed some serious encouragement. They’d been listening to Goliath talk about their God for 40 days. They’d seen his height and heard the noise, and I’m sure they could envision the impending carnage. They were faced with something completely out of the norm and unexpected. Yet here they were supposed to send someone out to confront this giant? No one had a fighting chance.
But then David came in as the anointed and appointed one to do the job God assigned him to. He spoke with confidence in his voice, faith in God, and determination to go. He went out, and within minutes, Goliath was defeated! The scripture states that once David defeated Goliath, the army arose, shouted, and pursued the remaining Philistine army!
Where did that come from? A few minutes ago, they were ready to tuck tail and run?
The shift came when David simply walked in the faith God gave him to start the fight by killing Goliath. The army, now filled with faith to act, beat down the now terrified Philistine army. Everyone was in the right place.
So, whether you’re David with the faith or in the army shaking like a leaf, don’t worry God has it covered because when faith is unleashed, the job will get done!
And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead: and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him: but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. (I Samuel 17:49-54 KJV)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are you ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9. For as the heavens are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)