I need out of this tent...

Everyone knows the story of David and Goliath. David is this small, little guy who has to go up against this 9 1/2 foot tall giant of a man with just a sling and some stones. This giant's name was Goliath (perfect name right?). He was a champion, who had trained his whole life to be a fighter. Every day he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 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 my subjects, etc etc..." I would be pretty annoyed after hearing that day after day for forty days. But would you go up against a man like Goliath? Eh, I didn't think so.

So back to this little guy named David. He was the youngest of his brothers and was on sheep duty. Oh, yeah, the best job in the whole world. I know every teenage boy would have much rather spent their time tending to the flock than out on the battle field! David's dad sent him to check up on his brothers and see how they were doing; he sent them some food, you know, brotherly love sort of things. He saw how Goliath came out and made his little speech and David asked what the big deal was. The Israelites told him how the king would give great wealth to the man who killed the giant man, and give the victor his daughter in marriage, and exempt his family line from taxes (hey, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me!). David knew something must be done about this Goliath guy, but nobody would do anything because they feared they would die and would forever be in slavery! I mean, who wouldn't be afraid?! I know I would be!

David knew that he could defeat the giant, but Saul wasn't so sure. In 1 Samuel 17:33, Saul says, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are little more than a boy, and he has been a warrior since youth!" (Goliath almost reminds me of somebody who comes from District 1 from the Hunger Games...right?), but David explains how the Lord rescued him from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear when they tried to attack his flock of sheep. David knew that God would rescue him from the hand of this giant Philistine. Saul must have been moved by the Lord because in verse 37 he says, "Go, and the Lord be with you." He gave David armor and weapons but David refused because he wasn't used to it so all he took was his sling and went to find five smooth stones from the stream.

Goliath looked over David. I can just imagine the thoughts going through his head. "Okay, seriously? Who is this little puny guy they sent over? And where is his sword? And why in the world is he not wearing any armor? How old is he anyway? I bet if I stepped on him it would kill him..." You know, thoughts like that.

David didn't need a sword or a spear. He just used his sling and stones. In verses 45-47, David says to Goliath, "You come against me with sword and spear, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, whom you have defied. This is the day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. ... All those gathered here will know that it is not by the sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

And David won. He did it. He knew that he could defeat Goliath with just a sling and a stone, as well as with God's help. With God's help and God's help only. That's the lesson, through David's eyes.

Right now, I feel like I'm facing my own Goliath, but I don't feel like David. I feel like one of the scared Israelites who has no idea what they're doing and is scared to step up to the plate with my sling and stone. I'm hiding because I can't step up. I can't find my five smooth stones from the stream. I can't even find my way to the stream. I mean, I can't even get myself up out of the tent to go to the stream. Right now I'm just praying that God will give me the strength to get out of this funk. I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't know how else to explain how I'm feeling other than I'm just a scared Israelite still in the tent hiding from Goliath. I just ask for patience from everyone and for encouragement, as I really just feel like I can't take down Goliath right now.



Peace and Love,
Jenae




Source: New Living Translation Bible