A Daring David?

We are not David. If you sit before a preacher and he tells you that you can be David and defeat every Goliath in your life, run as fast as you can. First, the pastor is telling the story incorrectly, focusing on David and not God.

The Yearbook Bible

Secondly, when we read the Bible, we often read it like a high school yearbook. Remember when you got your yearbook? Like me, it was a long time ago for most of you. But in case you don't remember, most of us first looked in the back of the book to find out how many pages we were on. I wasn't on many. But this is how we read the Bible; we look for ourselves in the stories. The prodigal son is a great example. We are all the prodigal son, right? Well, if you read my post on that one, we are often not the prodigal son. David is another story where we tend to infuse ourselves, especially if we have a human-centered pastor.

Often, people hear that they are good and that because they believe in God, THEY are capable of anything. Well, we aren't in control, we can't save ourselves from anything, and anything we accomplish, God accomplished through His grace and mercy.

Let's look at David and Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, David fights Goliath. Goliath was a giant of a Philistine and had killed many men. Goliath was taunting the Israelites, who, under King Saul, were fighting the Philistines. Now no one wanted to fight Goliath. His armor and weapons weighed as much as some men. In verses 17-24, we read, 17 "Now Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah[d] of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance[e] from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."

20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

David began asking questions about Goliath and the reward Saul would give to the man who killed him. Because David was the youngest brother of many, he was often picked on and in this case, it was no different. However, David had faith in God. In verses 34-49, we read, But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine."

Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!"

45 David said 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. 46 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. 47 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."

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

Because of David's faith, he faced Goliath without fear, and David had faith that God would deliver him from Goliath as God had delivered David from the lion and the bear while tending sheep. So, it was not David who beat Goliath but God.

Our Goliath

In our lives, many Goliaths appear before us, Goliaths who appear in the form of debt, troubled marriages, jobs, and our most undefeatable foes, sin and death. But like David, God can deliver us from any Goliath we face. It takes faith and prayer, unrelenting prayer. God hears our prayers. When our prayers align with God's will, God answers them. However, remember, God answers them in His own time. As far as sin and death, God already conquered them for us. Jesus saved us from sin and death by His sacrifice. It is through faith and repentance that we are delivered from those Goliaths.

Be a Prayer Warrior

In Luke 11:5-9 ESV, Jesus told us a story of a man who woke his neighbor in the middle of the night. The man was entertaining a friend and ran out of bread. His friend told him his family was asleep and to go away, but the man continued asking for bread so that he may feed a friend. Finally, the man got up and gave him the bread. Jesus is telling us not to give up on prayer. He is telling us to be relentless in our prayers. Don't give up on prayer; whatever the prayer may be, keep praying. God hears our prayers.

It's Not About You

Reading the Bible and seeking ourselves is selfish, and we miss the glory in its words. The entire Bible, in some way or another, is connected to Jesus. Instead of looking for yourself in the Bible, seek Jesus in its words. You will be surprised where you find Him. Blessing!