(image from depositphotos)
Today is the day – Wednesday January 20, 2021. The day the world changes.
Is it for good or for evil? So many opinions, so many rumors, such a lack of truth.
I have been praying for our nations and the world and was not sure what to write on such a day and then it came to me.
David and Goliath
David was a young man, a shepherd, probably a late teen or early twenties. His life was living out in the country with the sheep.
Goliath – a seasoned veteran Philistine warrior and a giant of a man at that.
Set the scene: (from 1 Samuel 17)
The two armies, the Philistines and the Israelites are at war. Both sides are camped and waiting for the other to make a move. Each day for over 40 days Goliath the giant goes to the edge of the camp and yells out to the Israelites:
“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 our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.”
We have two sides – one being verbal the other shaking in their boots. Stalemate. No one moves.
Lots of talk, lots of accusations, lots of threats. Sound familiar? Sure it does, it sounds much like what has been happening in our world of late.
So, what happens in the David and Goliath story?
Well, this young fellow gets sent down by his dad to go and check on his brothers. Off David goes to check on his 7 brothers who are in the Israelite army. While there David hears the giant Goliath taunt the Israelite army. He inquires why someone does not go get him? That causes a lot of laughter amongst the army and especially his brothers from this no nothing kid.
The King hears of David’s statement and David is sent to the King, who also laughs because David is just a boy. But David is adamant that he can take on the giant. The battle armor does not fit, swords are too big and bulky on this young man; instead David takes a slingshot, and 5 smooth stones, even Goliath laughs when he sees this boy coming at him.
But David does so much more – he makes a declaration to this Philistine army and to the giant and to the listening Israel army. David did not boast about his ability,
he boasts about the God he serves, he says to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
David proceeds to sling one stone and hits the giant in the forehead and down he goes, then David runs over and cuts off his head with the giant’s own sword.
David had confidence that God would fight the battle with him, and you know what? He did. David plus God Almighty changed everything. That day on the battlefield, all hell broke loose as the Israelite army went on to win the battle.
You see if you are in God’s army : you plus God Almighty = you win.
No matter the outcome of today, or this week, or this month, no matter what your eyes see – make sure your allegiance is to the only one who can win, the only one who sees me, the God who sees you, El Roi - The God Who Sees - God Almighty.