Even if you’ve never cracked a Bible you probably know the story of David and Goliath, the little shepherd boy who slays a giant with a slingshot.
I’m excited for the animated version of this story in the not-too-distant future. If you want to see the trailer of that movie click <here>. You can watch many family friendly movies and tv shows for free in the Angel Studios app on your device or smart tv. Click <here> to see more of what they offer. You will be amazed and pleasantly surprised.
And no, I’m not paid to promote anything. I am just passionate about what these people are doing, and all that has happened since The Chosen television series came out a few years ago. You can view The Chosen on the Angel app, too, or in its own app by clicking that title above.
Now, back to my reason for writing today…
Quoted from the overview in the David Movie website:
“David is one of the most inspiring characters in human history. As a boy, he fought Goliath because no one else dared to…David’s life is one of incredible color and energy…David’s story is among the most compelling in history. It points to God and challenges the image of an austere, unapproachable, and distant deity. DAVID portrays the possibility of a living, breathing, and transformative relationship with God.”
I cannot stress enough what an impact this story had on me this time around. I’ve read it before, but this time I heard something that applied to me. Isn’t it intriguing how we glaze over things we’ve heard many times, until one day something strikes a nerve and BAM! Like a brick in your face!
The narrator shed light on a hidden gem this time. When that light reflected back into my own eyes I had to squint and squirm a little, because I’ve used the phrase, “give it to God,” when talking to others in crisis, but when it comes to myself I want to wrestle that giant all alone. Just like I did before God and I became friends, before I really trusted my Abba.
I often find it impossible to let go and truly give it to God to handle for me. I want to navigate the way I’ve seen others succeed at handling that same problem. I understand we all have different tools and skills and circumstances, but resisting the urge to mimic someone else’s tactics, someone who has succeeded with that same problem, is really tough for me. I’m too impatient to wait on God!
It’s easy to see the obvious message of the David and Goliath story. In my study Bible it says, “this is one of the Bible’s best loved stories, illustrating God’s ability to provide victory in the face of overwhelming odds…and has inspired faith over the centuries precisely because it portrays purity and right as victorious over might.”
The subtle message, the one most of us don’t hear, is the one that touches on how we approach our big problems. When David approached King Saul to propose that he fight the Philistine, Saul outfitted little David in his own suit of armor. It should have been Saul, the tallest of all the Israelites, that stood up to this giant. Don’t you just love big, handsome, wimpy men?
David suited up but couldn’t function in all that heavy metal meant for a bigger man. So he put on his own clothes, used his own tools – a slingshot and a stone – and his God-given skills, to fearlessly face that giant, fully trusting in the power and protection of a God who was always faithful to him.
Talk about giving it to God!!
David was a small, young, inexperienced kid, with a fierce belief in his Abba. Is your faith that strong? When we really and truly trust He is faithful to deliver what we need. It may not always be what we think we need, but it’s always what it best for us in the eyes of our all-knowing Abba.
Here’s how it went when King Saul protested David’s desire to fight the giant, copied from chapter seventeen of the book of 1 Samuel, NLT version:
32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “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.” 34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” 38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.
You can read the rest of the story yourself by clicking <here>.
Brian Hardin, founder of the Daily Audio Bible is so good at calling attention to the subtleties of these Bible stories. I’ve heard him tell this story before. This is my third year of going through the Bible in a year with this teacher, but this story never smacked me in the face like it did this time.
I know it’s why we Christ-followers say the Word of God is dynamic and relative, both the Old and New Testaments. I wasn’t fighting a battle the other times I read this story. Recently I have been struggling and praying for answers, and the words were like a flashing neon sign in my head.
The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”
As we go through the peaks and valleys of life we can draw from God’s Word all the help we need at every specific moment if we’re willing to ask for His guidance and wait for His answers. The other trick is to be still enough to hear Him over our own clamour. Tough call for me. My thoughts are loud!
We cannot use someone else’s experience and apply it to our dilemmas. Just like Brian said in his commentary, we must “…be who we are as we face trials and battles of our own…” Just like David did, we must look to and trust in God’s faithfulness to do what is best for us in all circumstances.
The slight little shepherd boy who was the least capable in the eyes of his peers, his family, and the pompous giant, won the battle. Who would have ever suspected he was the one chosen by God to replace Saul to become the greatest king of Israel? To be known as “a man after God’s own heart.”
God uses the most unpretentious and unlikely people to accomplish impossible feats throughout the Bible, over and over again. He uses the weak to shame the strong. If you’re a true Christian, not just a believer but a Christ-follower, you’ve heard this before: God doesn’t call the equipped, rather, He equips the called.
God wants you to realize you need Him to accomplish the impossible. You may be able to do it by yourself, but He wants you to step out in faith and do it His way. When you do, He gives you the right attitude, words, and actions to overcome. So step out of that boat, stay focused on Jesus, and do a little water-walking the next time you’re facing what feels like an impossible hurdle.
By the way, I use the phrase “Christ-follower” because there are many people out there that call themselves Christians, but don’t really follow Jesus. If we aren’t Jewish, or Muslim, or whatever, and we believe in one Triune God, we call ourselves Christians. It’s confusing to some, though, because Christians are supposed to be Christ-like, and sadly, not all of us are. It’s the reason we have such a bad reputation for being exclusive and judgemental.
There are tons of people out there that have been hurt by the church and people who claim to be Christians. And I am so very sorry for that. I hope if you’re one of them you will give Jesus another chance. Remember that Jesus is not about religiosity, He’s about relationship. And He never said to follow His people. He said to “follow ME.” So never mind the church that doesn’t welcome everyone, the people pointing fingers, and the rules of this or that denomination…just look at Jesus.
For me, to be a Christ-follower means to study God’s Word and strive to love God and love people the way Jesus did. And your church should be your family that loves you, educates you, and walks alongside you in times of trouble. If you don’t have a church like that, email me. I will help you find one wherever you are.
Have a glorious day. Invite Jesus into it. Know what it means to have Peace in Christ.
God Loves Bad Girls, Too! 