Goliath

"Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span..." 1 Sam 17:4




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We are having our Missions conference at church this week and one of the speakers, Dr. Tony Beckett, spoke about David & Goliath.

I have been a Christian since I was 7yrs old, so you can imagine how many times I have heard the story of David & Goliath in Sunday school, but Dr. Beckett mentioned something in the story I had never realized before. So I thought I'd share it with you.






David


The familiar story goes likes this....Israel is surrounded by the enemy. The Philistines are threatening to invade the small country with their powerful armies. Their champion, Goliath, comes out and taunts the Israelites. For forty days and nights, this giant of a man taunts them.


Finally, David, a young shepherd, comes forward to King Saul and says that he will fight the Philistine. 


But before he does, King Saul wants to arm David with armor to protect him in the battle.


1 Sam 17:38-39  "Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off."






Testing


Did you notice that? David did not want to wear the armor. Not because it was bulky and cumbersome.


No, he could not wear the armor because he had not tested them. So he took them off. 

 David was an experienced warrior. But he did not put his trust in the armor of men. He knew that before you wear armor, you have to test it in order to have confidence in it. 



No, David put his trust in the might of the Lord. He had seen the LORD work. He knew the LORD and trusted Him. 


1 Sam 17:45-46  "Then David said to the Philistine, “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. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you..." 






Goliath


I honestly had never thought of it that way before. The lightbulb went off over my head and immediately, I thought of what "Goliaths" am I facing and am I trusting in the ways of men? Or in the ways of the Lord?


I have always admired David's absolute trust in the Lord. We tend to desire to trust in the Lord, but do we really believe He will deliver us from the hands of our enemies? Do we truly believe that we can conquer the taunting Goliath with the power and might of the Lord?


I want to.


I want to put my trust in the name of the LORD of hosts. I have seen Him do mighty works in my life in the past, so why wouldn't I trust Him with my future?


I want to look at Goliath and shout, "For the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands!"




What about you? What Goliath are you facing? Have you put your trust in the LORD of hosts or the ways of man?




Blessings,
Ruth