What is it that made David so special to the Lord? Can we have or do the same?
The well-known story of David fighting Goliath had more to it than meets the eye. It can be read in 1 Samuel 17. When Goliath challenged people to fight him the prize was the factor. He named it: “If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us,” (1 Samuel 17:9). This fellow was nine feet tall so, considering the prize, it was a risk to take him on. No wonder that “on hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified,” (V11).
How did David respond though? He turned up at the challenge, bringing food to his brothers, and heard what Goliath said. He then asked the men standing near him: “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Can you see what David’s first concern was? He was concerned about the honour of God. Where the men only thought about themselves and merely fought in the army as a duty, David saw the humiliation that the Lord would suffer if these enemies won like that.
How often are we in a position where the Lord’s glory is at stake and because we are concerned about persecution or our reputation or image we do not stand up for Him. We may be in a conversation where somebody blasphemes the Lord, but do nothing for we are scared to be the odd one out. Or we are involved with behaviour that causes God’s enemies, either human or evil spirits, to blaspheme him or when somebody is persecuted or ridiculed for their faith, and we are in a position to help, we do nothing.
The men of Israel looked at the Goliath’s size and compared their size with his and the result was fear. David compared Goliath’s size with God’s and the result was faith. The men of Israel were self-centred and fearful, whereas David were God-centred having faith.
“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’ Saul replied, ‘You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth,’” (V32-33).
When we read this we can easily think David was over confident, but he had a track record with the Lord. He gave his curriculum vitae to Saul, telling him how he dealt with the lions and bears that attacked his sheep ending with these words: “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine,” (V37).
What is written in our spiritual curriculum vitae? When the Lord needs us for some venture, do we have the necessary faith to fulfil it? Have we allowed the Lord to develop our faith through the tests He put us to, or have we avoided difficult situations by calling on Mammon to help us out? In other words have we consciously trusted the Lord in a specific situation, waiting for his response even though it was difficult for us, or did we arrange for some human help or financial provision as a cop-out?
Goliath was big and armoured and used to fighting, since he had done it for a long time and had the experience to lean on. David was young and still developing with no war experience to speak of, but he had an intimate relationship with the Almighty God to lean on. He had a battle plan in the back of his mind, but knew that only with the Lord’s supernatural interference it would work out.
When you are up to a challenge, how long does it take you to realise you need the Lord’s help?
To be continued.
Lord, people usually make fun of having Jesus as a crutch to lean on, but I need you.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.
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