October 15, 2015
1 Samuel 15-Part 5
David said to Saul "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him." 1 Samuel 17:32 NIV
LET IT GLOW
I'll go. I will do it. Count me in. You can count on me. When do we start? Do we volunteer for difficult and challenging tasks or just the easy, small ones? Also, do we continue until the task is done or do we quit in the middle of it? David volunteers to fight a giant. How does he prepare? Is David preparing for battle the wrong way?
Forty days the giant Goliath of the Philistines challenged Israel to send a man to fight him. The loser's people would be slaves of the winner. David shows up on the frontline because his father sent him on a mission-take food to your brothers and bring me a report on their battle, if are they still alive. So when David arrived, he saw and heard the giant taunting challenging Israel and their God. The Israeli army was greatly afraid. This young man could not understand why no one took the challenge.
Let's watch and listen as David converses with Saul in his kingly tent and comfortable chairs (well, maybe). Gather your grandsons around your rocking chair, for this is going to be a good story (which actually happened).
This is my version of what happens:
- David offers to be Saul's servant that will go and fight with this Philistine. (verse 31)
- Your are just a youth, David; Goliath is a man of war. (verse 33)
- David tells Saul about his previously experience of fighting resulted in killing a lion and a bear while tending his father's sheep. (verses 34-35) (Keep in mind, the Spirit of the Lord left Saul and came upon David (16:13-14). God enabled David.
- King Saul, this Philistine is defying the army of the living God. (verse 36) You can't let him get away with that, sir.
- Our God delivered me from the paws of a lion and a bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. (my emphasis) (Can you see Goliath's hand being the size of both of ours?)
- Do you not understand, the lion and bear are the strongest animals in the wilderness? Their roar and growl are ferocious; their body is so heavy and fast; they attack, not retreat; they destroy, not become pets. The God who created these animals can surely tame them and kill them. That is exactly what He did through me-killed the enemy and rescued the sheep. He wants to do the same for His people, his sheep. Nothing can defeat our Almighty God. Where's your faith, Saul?
Do we let people discourage us from doing what we know is God's will for us?
Do we let our size, age, or experience disqualify us from serving God?
Are we waiting to be delivered from a roaring lion, a huge bear, or a giant?
How big is our faith? How big is our God?
David believed his God was bigger than any 9'9" tall giant; that's for sure.
LET IT GROW
Finally, David convinced Saul. "Go, and the LORD be with you," Saul told David.
Isn't it remarkable how people can use spiritual cliché's to cover up their empty lives? They know all the right words to use...all the pious-sounding sayings. Saul sure did. (Swindoll)
Let's get you dressed-take my armor, that's the least I can do for you. We'll fix you up for battle, David. I have to laugh here, thinking what David would have looked like dressed in Saul's armor. Saul is a big man physically (not spiritually, though) and David is a only a teenager in smaller man size. The helmet probably covers his eyes; the heavy armor probably falls down and covers his ankles; a sword may as well have been made of iron as far as David was concerned for he wouldn't have been able to throw it.
How did David react? Thank you sir, I'll do my best, just point me in the right direction. No, he was frank and sensible. David told Saul that he couldn't use those, after all, he had not even tried them out. He couldn't even walk in all that heavy garb. Can you hear the clink and clunk as David slid out of it?
What are you going to do David? Time is wasting. There is no local armor store where you can be fitted in the best suit just your size. We will find out in the next post. Keep those grandsons intrigued.
Swindoll reminds us that what works for one person will not necessarily work for someone else. God provides unique techniques for unique people.
Do we try to put on someone else's armor or put ours on someone else when we have to fight a battle? Do we try to give them our faith to trust God in their situation? Do we try on someone's faith when facing a giant problem? It doesn't work, friend.
We need to be our self. Allow God to use me as me.
LET IT GO
When faced with a giant, drop my armor and put on God's armor. (Eph.6)
Don't allow others to discourage me from doing God's will.
Keep trusting my Giant God.
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