Month: February 2024

1 Samuel 17:45-50, 52-54 MSG. David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day GOD is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that GOD doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to GOD —he’s handing you to us on a platter!”  That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.  That’s how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David! …

The men of Israel and Judah were up on their feet, shouting! They chased the Philistines all the way to the outskirts of Gath and the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road all the way to Gath and Ekron. After chasing the Philistines, the Israelites came back and looted their camp. David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But the giant’s weapons he placed in his own tent.

Observation

“…he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.”  I work in Children’s Ministry, so I know this story well.  It is taught frequently and to all age groups.  No wonder as this is the story of a teenager defeating a giant, saving his countrymen (adults), and becoming the (super)hero of the day (The only thing David is missing is the cape and the “S” on his chest.)!  I am always struck by the fact that when “he (Goliath) started toward David. David took off from the front line running toward the Philistine.”  David was so sure of God and His command of this battle that he rushed toward the fight – without armor, regardless of the odds, the size of the Enemy and the imbalance in weaponry.

David became a national hero in the moment Goliath was defeated.  His victory erased the fear of the Israelites who took up the chase of the terrified and fleeing Philistines. David’s trophies for this amazing accomplishment were the head of Goliath and his huge-in-scale weapons. David gave the head to the king but kept the weapons for himself. Did he choose to keep the weapons as a reminder that it was God Who fought the battle and took the giant down?  Were these weapons a defense against being deceived by men’s praise into thinking his prowess/skill alone would win future victories? Were the weapons there as a physical reminder to remember the Lord your God and to keep him humble and submitted to the Lord in all his future battles?

Impact on Me

The Bible is God’s story, written to reveal His nature, character, intentions, commitment to and heart for us; it is the story of how He wants this relationship between us to be, what He will do on His part and how we can engage and embrace Him on ours. This story of David and Goliath talks to me about how God will show Himself strong on my behalf when I face my giants with absolute faith in His victory, running at my giant in His strength, with His plan, using His weapons to fight the battle. However, it also speaks to me of remembering always, in all things, that it was not my prowess or skill or special gifting that won the victory; it was my submission and obedience to His plan and setting my confidence in His power and might that won the battle. 

My own version of Goliath’s weapons (those answers to prayer and victories in my life) are in my tent to remind me of the giants that my God has defeated. I do this so that my hope and faith do not fail when the next giant challenges.  I confess that there are times I try on Saul’s armor (come up with my own plans that I think God should bless OR try to use someone else’s solution rather than seeking God for His OR figure that something that worked before should work now) or find tempting accepting praise for a victory, but, when I am reminded of the defeated giant’s weapons, I relinquish the battle, plan and execution to Him. He has never failed me.

Prayer

Lord, Almighty God, I give You the praise and glory for all the victories.  May I never go to battle in my own strength, using my own plan. If necessary, have me trip over the defeated giant’s weapons to bring me to my senses!  Teach me to be like David, full of confidence in You, so I will run at the giants that face me knowing that they are really only defeated by Your Word, Your power, Your might, Your promises before my first step.  I want our relationship to be so deep, wide, full, enduring, transparent that my moment-by-moment life will reveal You to others, that my answer to You will always be an unconditional YES, and that Your will and purpose will be fulfilled in my life. Make it so in the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6-9  (MSG)  Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.  8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Colossians 3:12-14 (Phillips)  As, therefore, God’s picked representatives of the new humanity, purified and beloved of God himself, be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind. Accept life, and be most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive if you have a difference with anyone. Forgive as freely as the Lord has forgiven you. And, above everything else, be truly loving, for love is the golden chain of all the virtues.

Observation

We may think we have these scriptures down, that we have experienced the truth in them enough times to embrace it all fully, that we have overcome in this area.  More fools we!!  I am amazed at how quickly I can tumble down from a place of loving patience, tolerance and forgiveness where I thought was securely anchored into a heap of mully-grubby discontent just because circumstances were not optimal or convenient or suited what I thought I “deserved.”  We often underestimated the power of the Enemy and the sway of our flesh, and how we can be so smoothly and expertly manipulated using our human nature so we find ourselves making decisions and choices based on selfish motives rather than on the Word and Love (“the golden chain of all the virtues”). 

I know that our enemy doesn’t care whether we sin overtly or covertly – whether I sin through an action which can be seen by others or through self-righteous judgment, criticism or condemnation of another’s choices or actions that I have seen.  Both are sin and indications that we have wandered from the footsteps of Christ placed before us, the pathway of commitment, sacrifice and obedience we as followers of Christ desire to follow.  They are indications of how we have wandered from “meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly.”  We are not to condone sin but we are to remember to confront it with love, grace and redemption. I am always shocked and ashamed to recognize how quickly I can let it become all about me rather than what the Lord would have me be about, about correcting others rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to work correction in me. 

Impact on Me

So, I am committed to relearn the lesson about self-sacrifice, obedience, contentment and not letting my light be darkness.  I am ashamed to say this is not the first time I have done this.  I fully understand Paul’s description in Romans of his internal war between his sin nature and his redeemed nature.  He knows what is best to do but ends up letting his human nature make the choice anyway – whether it’s for a pity party, or taking control out of God’s hands, or setting aside gratitude for the sacrifice made for us and forgetting whose we are and whom we serve, or any other foolish choice we allow our flesh to make because it seems good, selfishly profitable or okay at the time. 

So often the choice to sin is rationalized by our pride, questioning God’s wisdom on how or where He has assigned us – I don’t deserve this or I deserve more or why me or why not me or who do they think they are to treat me like this.  While Jesus did ask in the Garden if the sacrifice of the Cross could be bypassed, He was willingly, completely, gladly submitted to do as the Father requested because He could see past the sacrifice to the glorious redeeming result – the cost was worth the benefit. I want this same perspective – willingly obedient because my trust in my Father is absolute, content in faithfulness regardless of my circumstances or current assignment, trusting that He who “makes everything work together, will work (me) into his most excellent harmonies.”

Prayer

Lord God, Father of Mercy, Teacher, Healer and Faithful Life Companion, I praise and thank You for caring for me.  When I begin to wander, pull me back on track.  Soak my perspective in “things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly.”  May my all of my life “be merciful in action, kindly in heart, humble in mind… most patient and tolerant with one another, always ready to forgive.”  Lord, I want to be worked into Your most excellent harmonies.  Make it so, in Jesus’ name.